


Dreamcatcher

by Airyo



Series: Dreamcatcher [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Bad Jokes, Bad Puns, Branch Hinata, F/M, Gen, Non-Massacre AU, Team 7 shenanigans, drabble series posted in big chunks bc i'm tired and lazy, ffnet transplant, so many shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 05:30:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 71,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6840838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Airyo/pseuds/Airyo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nothing about Itachi, she realized uncomfortably, was ever by accident...Nothing about Hinata, he realized with exasperation, could ever be considered normal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Breaking Point

**Author's Note:**

> This is a 105 chapter story on ffnet, but I'm not posting 100+ goddamn chapters. Instead, I grouped them in the arcs I had originally organized them as. Please keep in mind it should be a little choppy as you read it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is already angst.

**Chapter 1: Breaking Point - 1**

* * *

 

It was accepted that except in birth order, Hinata was second to her younger sister. Compared to Hanabi, she was weaker and slower and dumber.

Lesser.

That might have been tolerable, since being second to a prodigy like Hyuuga Hanabi wasn't saying very much. It was like comparing the range of a mouse's view to that of a hawk's, the size of an ant to a tiger.

But worded differently, Hinata could be ranked first in two things: birth order and kindness.

It was implicit; kindness was more unforgivable a crime than physical incapability. Kindness was the counterweight to ruthlessness, to the cruelty required to sacrifice everything and anything for the sake of winning against the enemy. Without that key will to fight, the scale weighing Hinata's worth crashed hopelessly to the ground in a mess before she could even be judged.

She was worthless as an heir, as a warrior. Even as a daughter.

Without an indomitable will, her marriageable prospects also diminished. What use was a daughter-in-law who couldn't survive the harsh politics of a clan marriage? Yes, the bloodline of a Hyuuga was desirable, but Hinata made the suitors uneasy. What this weakness manifested again in the children she would bear? What if it was like a disease?

No one wanted to be infected. Tainted.

Hinata was used to the abruptly silenced whispers and averted glares. She knew her place, and the easiest way was to accept it. Neji told her many times about fate. Fate was a unyielding master, unchangeable, and unforgiving. It was actually a form of comfort because the element of the unknown was obliterated. Familiarity was safe, the comforting flame against the dark night of uncertainty.

There was actually a twisted sort of pride in that. So many people around her bemoaned the future because they couldn't predict it. Hinata could. She knew her future, knew her destiny, knew her path. She will conform herself to the background, and blur away the lines that separated the individual from the servitude of the Branch. She will support the name, the clan, the Hyuuga, and she herself will fade unobtrusively into nameless history. She was a part of the Hyuuga clan in the truest sense.

It was a quiet existence, bereft of uncertainty and chaos and fear, and Hinata could convince herself that she was content.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 2: Breaking Point - 2**

 

* * *

 

 It rarely occurred to people that not only did the Hyuuga have the largest clan population in all of Konoha, the clan was also entirely self-sufficient. That did not occur by accident. While the Main Family navigated the rough waters of the outside world, conquering new frontiers and bringing glory to the Hyuuga name, the Branch family managed the clan estates, maintaining a safe harbor for the warriors of the clan.

The Hyuuga had long ago realized the power of those no one noticed. Hiring outside servants would create a gaping weakness to the family secrets for enemies. Instead, the Branch family was formed, and in one brilliant move, both the dangers of spies and civil wars were eliminated.

While Hinata was a failure of being a ninja, she had a surprising talent for caring for them. Her days began early, as she was in charge of managing the day's meals. The scope of feeding up to three hundred people, depending on who was back from missions and such, was great one. Especially when quality and taste were scrutinized by those who made a career out of being observant.

Every morning, HInata personally went to the market to pick the produce from the farmers. Upon finding something to her standards, she put in an order to be retrieved by other Branch members later when they brought the cart.

This particular morning was no different. The sun had yet to rise when Hinata set out. She was prepared for a long day of errands - efficiently dressed in loose pale robes and comfortable sandals, long hair braided back out of her way, and a scroll of the thousand little details she needed to attend to.

The walk to the markets was short, but afforded the Branch member lovely scenery as she strolled her way through the heart of the city. Hardly anyone was awake yet, so the stillness of morning was adorned only with the sundry sounds of birds. The wane light cast an ethereal feel to the sleepy landscape of Konoha. She could see the stony faces of the Hokage monument, steadfast in their guard over the slumbering village. While the Rokudaime had yet to be sworn in, his whiskered face was already half carved into the side of the mountain. Despite the workers' best attempts, Namikaze Naruto's famous personality seemed to warp the serious expression of his likeness into something far more cheerful.

Hinata smiled slightly as her eyes passed over the rest of the landscape of Konoha. This was a peace that Hinata had come to cherish, away from the arrogant expectations of the Hyuuga, or the expectation of arrogance from everyone else.

Though said peace was quickly ruined when she was within earshot of the vendors.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 3: Breaking Point - 3**

 

* * *

 

 

"Carrots, get yer carrots!"

"Freshest beef this side of the country! Get it now before it runs out!"

"Yer haven't tried tomatoes until you've tried these!"

Hinata let the noise wash over her. Unlike the other Hyuuga, she actually enjoyed the rambunctiousness of the market. Many, many years ago, when she was still on track to become a ninja, there had been a loud boy in her Academy class with sun-bright hair and a sun-bright smile, also named Naruto. Others had laughed at him, but Hinata had admired him for his irrepressible spirit. Sometimes, she still wondered how he'd turned out...

"Good morning, Hinata-san!"

"Good morning, Ryusuke-san. I hope your back has healed. We've missed you here at the markets," Hinata replied with a polite bow and soft smile. Ryusuke smiled widely and assured her that he was as spritely as he'd been thirty years ago. She giggled slightly when he bemoaned the age gap between them.

The Hyuuga was a favorite among the vendors, for despite her lofty clan name, Hinata treated them with genuine friendliness. She did not see them as lesser simply because of their career, and the vendors were eager to reward her for it. She never haggled, yet always managed to get the best prices out of all the other Hyuuga who went to the market.

"Good morning, Hana-san," she greeted. "How is your son's cold?"

The radish vendor waved her concern away. "Hinata-san, yer medicine and my daikon radish soup took care of everything! He's already back to being the annoying bundle of energy I remember."

Hinata laughed slightly, pleasure making her cheeks warm. It was good to help people out in any way she can, especially since she was so useless to her clan. It had taken her a long while to gain their trust, as her pale eyes marked her as a member of clan famous for their snooty attitudes.

"That's wonderful! I hope-"

Screams erupted. The mass of people convulsed, and then parted to reveal two ninja caught in battle. Hinata had never had training beyond that of an Academy student, and could barely followed the movements lost in the blur of blades and fists.

The cacophony of the fight surrounded her, terrified her.

It happened too quickly.

There was one final flash of a katana. Warm, slick blood splattered her, burning and cooling simultaneously when it touched her skin. She barely heard the thud of the body hitting the ground. The metallic smell of the blood was suffocating her, choking her.

Hinata stared forward with wide, blank eyes.

She couldn't move...why couldn't she move?

The world dimmed to crimson.

* * *

 

**Chapter 4: Breaking Point - 4**

 

* * *

 

She woke with a gasp.

It took her a moment to realize that she was no longer staring at the mess of a battle, but the clean lines of her bedroom ceiling. Shakily, Hinata sat up. Her yukata was damp with cold sweat, and her muscles felt weak and wrung out. Her fingers throbbed and trembled.

She slid out of her bed and brushed back her bangs in a nervous movement. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror across the room and paused. Other than the dark shadows under her eyes and the darker seal on her forehead, her face was dry and clean.

No blood.

Was it all another nightmare?

She touched her face to check and winced. Her hands were peppered with small scratches and bruises, as if she'd tried to bathe the stray cats she liked to leave food out for. That was strange. She didn't remember encountering a trigger for such a severe reaction. What could have...

A quick glance out the window dissipated any musings about her injuries. The sun was far too high to be morning. She'd overslept! That had never happened before.

Dread chilled her. While she wasn't the solely responsible party for meals, it was her duty. Tsuru, the head of the Branch family, will be angry. She hurried to the bathroom for a quick wash and tossed on fresh robes. With her hair still wet and sticking uncomfortably to her neck, Hinata rushed down to the kitchens.

Hopefully, Tsuru will forgive her. Hinata had submitted the careful ledger of this week's household expenses, including the meal plan, so someone else could have just as readily completed her tasks in her place. Nonetheless, Hinata prepared herself for a scolding.

She turned the corner sharply, only to nearly run over the approaching individual. The man caught her deftly, and steadied them both with the grace of a veteran ninja.

Hinata looked up to thank the man, only to let her words of gratitude wither away in her throat.

Hyuuga Hiashi released her shoulders and stared down at her with an unreadable expression.

"Good day, Hyuuga-sama," she said quietly as she retreated a polite distance. He studied her, and then acknowledged her with a terse nod. Hinata trembled as she bowed, taking solace behind her bangs. She waited for him to go.

His feet didn't move.

"Hinata. Go to the main meeting room. We have a guest that requires your presence."

She looked up in surprise, but her father's face gave nothing away.

"Uh, y-yes Hyuuga-sama," she stuttered out. Another bow, and she hurried to the meeting room. Confusion spun endless questions in her mind, leaving more tangles and knots than answers she could fathom.

She reached the door and paused, patting her haphazard hair and clothes into a semblance of order.

Then she knocked.

"Enter," a man's steady voice told her.

Hinata slid open the door. A young man was seated at the low table.

"Uchiha Itachi-sama," she said in shock, forgetting to bow. That wasn't the biggest surprise. At the sight of Itachi's calm visage, the vague notions of her dreams consumed her like a monster awoken.

* * *

 

**Chapter 5: Breaking Point - 5**

 

* * *

 

Hinata closed her eyes and -  _screams erupted. The killing intent was heavy and sickening like oil, and it pressed in until it was hard to breath or move. Hinata whipped around, half-forgotten instincts forcing her body into the first stance of Jyuuken. The chakra veins at her temples throbbed, dusty with disuse, as her Byakugan struggled to life. Behind her, she could almost see Hana stumble away from her stall._

_The crowds of people convulsed, and then parted violently, like flesh ripped with claws. Two dark figures broke through. The one in the jounin uniform of Konoha chased the one wearing dirty, indescribable robes and a slashed hitai-ate around his neck._

_Missing-nin. Why was he so far inside the walls of Konoha?_

_The missing-nin fired off a blast of energy and it rippled outwards. The jounin flickered through a series of seals, barely in time to deflect the worst of the blast from the civilians. Several stalls exploded moments later, showering the crowd with deadly splinters of wood._

_Hinata moved automatically, clumsily knocking away the most dangerous pieces from their trajectories towards Ryusuke, Hana, and the others rendered frozen by the heavy killer-intent._

_The lone jounin was stretched thin between protecting a large crowd of helpless people and battling someone who moved with the deadly grace of an S-class nin. Hinata had never had training beyond that of an Academy student, and could barely followed the movements. There was one long moment, when the jounin turned his head, and Hinata caught of glimpse of crimson eyes with black windmills. Then he looked away, and the rest was lost in the blur of blades and fists. It almost looked like there multiples of the missing-nin and jounin._

_Where were the other ninja? Where was everyone else?_

_She was the only one with any sort of training. Jyuuken was out of the question, and she never wore kunai anymore. Hinata's eyes glanced over a few heavy barrels, the sturdy daikon radishes...maybe those could serve as a distraction - her gaze turned to the civilians. They will be killed in the crossfire._

_Save them._

_NOW._

_Hinata jolted into action._

_"Move!" she barked. The contrast of her usual demeanor to the urgent fury on her face now seemed to shock the civilians near her out of their trance. They scrambled away, retreating to the safety of the distance, and the rest she forcibly pushed into the narrow alley away from him-_

_It was only just in time. The S-class nin landed in front of her, rendering the stalls that they cowered behind to matchsticks with a blast of chakra. Proximity to the missing-nin amplified the effect of his killing-intent and Hinata could only grit her teeth in fear as she watched him approach._

_She couldn't move...why couldn't she move?_

_The cacophony of his aura surrounded, terrified her. Her knees locked._

_Why was he targeting her?_

_Suddenly, she was five years old again, and the Bad Man was going to hurt her and she didn't want to go with him but she couldn't run and she was so scared and-_

_There was flash of a katana. The missing-nin slumped. Warm, slick blood splattered her, burning and cooling simultaneously when it touched her skin. She barely heard the thud of the body hitting the ground. The metallic smell of the blood was suffocating her, choking her._

_Then there was only Uchiha Itachi facing her, with the missing-nin at their feet and a street of broken wood and broken produce. Hinata stared forward with wide, blank eyes, caught in a kaleidoscope of crimson and ink as_  - she clenched her fists, shaking as everything rushed back into cold clarity, clicking neatly into place like a key and a lock.

* * *

 

**Chapter 6: Breaking Point - 6**

 

* * *

 

Everything made sense now.

Itachi had placed a genjutsu on her the one moment their gazes met. He'd used her to clear the market, and then made her the bait for the missing-nin, a distraction so he could sneak up to kill him. She had been nothing but a puppet for him.

She wouldn't have even remembered that much if he didn't want her to.

He was looking at her with those dark, slanted Uchiha eyes. The color was different, but the unreadable expression was the same as those of the Hyuuga.

In a flash of animalistic terror, Hinata hated him for using her so, hated him for taking away what little control she still had.

Hated him for making her do something that she wasn't strong enough to do herself.

And in the next moment, she forgave him, and hated herself for such cowardice. This wasn't a transgression between two ninja, where forcibly controlling a comrade was an implicit crime. He'd only done what he'd had to in order to minimize damage and take out a dangerous criminal.

"Hinata-sama," he began, startling her as he rose in a smooth motion. An untouched cup of tea marked his spot at the short table and Hinata found it far more interesting than the genius, Uchiha Itachi and heir apparent to the esteemed Uchiha clan. This was the man who was the youngest ANBU captain ever, Konoha or anywhere else. He'd already retired from that, only to go on and mentor the team eventually took down the Akatsuki single-handedly. Of course, Itachi made his own contribution by defeating Uchiha Madara, wiping away one of the greatest threats to Konoha in all of history.

It was horrifically rude that she snubbing him in favor of a cold cup of muted green tea, but she found herself reluctant to be controlled by the Sharingan again so soon.

"Uchiha Itachi-sama," she said flatly, automatically. "I welcome you to the Hyuuga estates. Please wait while I fetch Hiashi-sama." Hinata turned to go.

"I apologize for my actions this morning."

She paused and stared at the top of his bowed head. She blinked several times as she tried to take in what was happening. Then she flushed. Uchiha Itachi, a genius that was born only once every ten generations, was lowering his head to  _her_.

"P-please don't," she whispered, as if a softer tone would stop her perfect, mundane world from shattering. Any acknowledgement of this exchange would catapult her into the realm of the unusual, the interesting. People would pay attention, and scrutinize and be let down, once again. "You did what you had to, so...please...please don't. Have a good day, Uchiha-sama." Her body jerked in a parody of a bow.

Then Hinata fled before Itachi could do anything more absurd.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 7: Breaking Point - 7**

 

* * *

 

Hinata was afraid to ask what exactly happened that day in the marketplace, and clearly, she could no longer depend on even her own memories. So she relied on piecing together what everyone else was saying.

As Tsuru the Branch head dismissed her from that her duties with only a shake of her head over the dangers of Konoha, Hinata gathered that the Uchiha heir had indeed foiled the mission of an S-class missing-nin.

"His target?" Tsuru told her with a shake of her head, "the Godaime Hokage herself! He'd nearly succeeded entering the Hokage tower too, if Uchiha-sama hadn't intercepted him. Such strange luck that they happened you in the marketplace." Hinata bowed even though she understood the implication of her uselessness and excused herself.

As Hana the radish vendor inquired her about her injuries, Hinata confirmed that she had indeed saved the civilians with her clumsy Jyuuken.

"I didn't know you were a ninja too! Just look at you move!" the older woman gushed. Hinata only smiled uncomfortably and ordered more daikon to redirect her praises.

As Hikaru, a younger Branch girl, giggled and swooned over how lucky she was to be saved from that horrid missing-nin by the great Itachi, Hinata surmised that Itachi had personally carried her unconscious body back from the market.

"He looked so cool when he showed up at the door. So gallant, so handsome, like a beautiful flower of death rising from the dry, thirsty earth -" Hinata was too polite to stop listening, but she made no effort to remember the further epithets sung about Uchiha Itachi. She's already heard far too many from the Hyuuga council.

But none of her careful investigations told her why Itachi had sought her out afterwards. She wasn't nearly important enough that false concern would be advantageous, if Itachi were the type for such things, and even then, she was clearly fine.

Hinata wondered, but her curiosity was not worth the answers. Not if they were the reasons behind Itachi's odd behavior - trying to apologize as if she were a shinobi of equal calibre, of all things.

But sometimes, when she was alone and cloaked in the comfort of solitude of her room, Hinata couldn't help but press her palms to her heated cheeks. Even she wasn't immune to the idea of a fairytale about a prince and a princess saved.


	2. An Unexpected Reaction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Itachi is surprised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friendly reminder - this is a ffnet transplant so the chapter titles won't align because I'm posting 7 chapters at a time. Because I'm lazy.

**Chapter 8: An Unexpected Reaction - 1**

* * *

 

It was accepted that Itachi was a genius, the kind that is born only once every ten generations. And it wasn't just in intelligence, but in all aspects of the shinobi arts. In mind, in body, perhaps even in soul - the perfect soldier.

Not only did he possess the Mangekyou Sharingan, he had also uncovered every rumor and myth surrounding the Uchiha legacy. Not only could he execute a S-level jutsu with ease, he could also pick it apart, and mold it and make it his own, into something frighteningly better. Not only could he unravel the intricate twists of clan politics with nimble fingers, Itachi could tie the most belligerent players back into harmless knots, all united around his idea of peace.

His father, of course, made no little show of pride whenever he could find room to brag about his son. And no one could blame him. Itachi excelled in every role he played: soldier, leader, teacher, son, brother...

Sasuke often joked that Itachi's greatest imperfection was that he was obnoxiously perfect. If said joke was said within earshot of his teammate, Haruno Sakura, Sasuke would receive a punch to the head and a lecture about how he "shouldn't insult Itachi-sensei because that is a good thing and you're jealous!" Naruto also got punched too, for laughing.

(Three hours in to being a new jounin-sensei, Itachi had quickly decided that he required a medic nin on Team 7 if his foolish little brother was going to survive to adulthood. He wondered if anyone noticed the irony behind his choice. )

Most just agreed that he was simply incomparable to his peers, and left it at that. When Team 7 limped back into Konoha, tired but triumphant after the defeat of the Akatsuki, no one was all that surprised. When Itachi quietly confirmed the death of Madara, no one breathed great sighs of relief - they simply hadn't been holding their breaths for any other outcome.

Like how extreme, excessive stimulation dulls the senses, the people of Konoha, too, had grown jaded to Itachi's achievements. They couldn't be blamed, for it was the nature of things. People grew accustomed to patterns.

Even Itachi himself was beginning to find the hurdles set before him too low, the riddles too straightforward. Habit kept Itachi reporting for missions without fail, but in times of peace, those varied little beyond high-class escort missions, essentially a stroll through the countryside. He could never dare to wish for a new challenge, a new puzzle, for that would require a great time of trouble for his village. And above all, Itachi valued peace.

So he was grateful that the role of hero was left collecting dust, unneeded, unwanted.

It was a quiet existence, bereft of uncertainty and chaos and fear, and Itachi could convince himself that he was satisfied.

* * *

 

**Chapter 9: An Unexpected Reaction – 2**

 

* * *

 

It rarely occurred to people that Itachi had more personality beyond the impassive visage he presented to the world.

One natural consequence of his genius was foresight. From any situation, Itachi was able to calculate the outcome with an accuracy that bordered on clairvoyance. It was inevitable that Uchiha Itachi was rarely surprised, and therefore his neutral expression changed very little.

But no one expected that missing-nin to sneak so easily past Konoha gates.

Itachi was off duty, and on his way to market to buy some fresh produce for Mikoto after an early morning training session. It took him mere seconds to notice that one of the farmers had the organized chakra of someone with training. While that wasn't unusual in of itself, the S-level genjutsu hiding his features was far more suspicious.

It was child's play to peel back the layers of chakra. Itachi recognized the man as one of the many faces in his bingo book.

The best strategy would be to monitor the missing-nin, and wait for a time when there weren't so many civilians around.

Unfortunately, the missing-nin seemed to recognize the features of the Uchiha, because he stiffened as soon as he saw Itachi, despite the cap he kept on his chakra. Killer intent pulsed through the marketplace.

The missing-nin charged for Itachi.

He was purposely freezing the helpless people around him, using them as hostages. And there were too many civilians. The missing-nin was just high level enough that Itachi couldn't protect them with an 100 percent certainty. The Uchiha thought quickly as he parried away the attacker's strikes.

He remembered seeing a Hyuuga, most likely a Branch member with little to no training. (He vaguely recalled her name as Hinata.) Nonetheless, a Hyuuga will have better chakra development. That was his best option.

He activated the Mangekyou and looked at her.

He nearly missed his landing when he felt something greedily yank on his chakra, soaking in the jutsu like desert terrain taking in water. He was suddenly pulled in along with his chakra, trapped by his own weapon.

_And he was watching himself fight the missing-nin. Hinata's gaze searched for a weapon, jumping from some heavy barrels to linger on a set of enormous daikon radishes...of all things. He didn't have time to laugh or cry at her choice of produce as a weapon._

_Itachi jerked her thoughts to the civilians._

_Save them._

_NOW._

Itachi had to forcibly retract himself, barely evaded a throat punch from the missing-nin in the process.

That was not be how genjutsu should have worked.

After that, dispatching the missing-nin became a mere afterthought, because Uchiha Itachi was intrigued.

He had found his puzzle.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 10: An Unexpected Reaction - 3**

 

* * *

 

They stared at each other for a brief moment, white to black. Then Hinata's eyes rolled back and her knees buckled. Itachi caught her by the waist, scooping her up bridal style.

He heard faint police whistles - several of his cousins would be on the scene soon. Itachi found himself reluctant to face their questions when he had so many of his own regarding the unconscious young lady in his arms.

"They know what to do here. Tell them Itachi had something attend to," he commanded one of the older farmer ladies who was peeking at him over a water barrel. She nodded quickly, stars in her eyes.

Itachi teleported away from the market. He landed on the roofs of the Uchiha complex, and began walking along the sloping, shingled surface towards the Hyuuga complex. He was careful not to jostle Hinata too badly. She wouldn't feel anything, but Itachi found himself feeling rather guilty about using the Sharingan on her so recklessly.

Few people didn't know about the past Hyuuga heir, a timid girl named Hinata with a strange sensitivity to genjutsu. The worst of the gossip started after her disastrous genin test. It was rumored that she couldn't sleep for a month even though her sensei had only cast a relatively harmless illusion over her.

Itachi did not subscribe to the rumors, but rumors had a nasty tendency to be based in truth. And if genjutsu tailored for genin was enough to render her unable to continue a career as a shinobi, what would today's events do? For starters, she shouldn't have even fainted from today's technique. All he'd done was a strong compulsory genjutsu to guide her thoughts towards helping the civilians.

As if to answer his musings, Hinata suddenly stiffened, her face contorted with fear. She let out a whimper, turning her head as if she were trying to evade an attack. Rather than trying to fight back, she wrung her hands, nails digging into her skin painfully. Red scored the pale skin of her hands.

Even Itachi found it difficult to watch.

He made a quick decision, and kneeled so only Hinata's upper body was in his lap. He gently peel back her eyelids and activated his Sharingan.

"Forget," he urged her. "Forget everything that happened at the marketplace."

She struggled for a few moments more. Then she relaxed, her face returning to a peaceful expression. Now that her features weren't crumpled like paper, Itachi could see that she was quite pretty, in a sweet, unassuming sort of way.

What a waste. Looks like those could have allowed her to be devastatingly effective in infiltration missions.

But there was little use in lingering on 'what ifs'. With a shake of his head, Itachi lifted her back into his arms and continued his way to the Hyuuga estates.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 11: An Unexpected Reaction - 4**

 

* * *

 

"Though I find it unnecessary, I appreciate the sentiment," Hiashi told him as the clan head swept out the door. "I will inform Hinata to come accept your formal apology."

Itachi nodded and waited.

He found that he liked Hiashi. The man was cold and forbidding, much like Itachi's father, but Hiashi also didn't bother playing silly games and always went straight to the heart of the matter. Sometimes, too bluntly so. Itachi found himself wondering if that had any effect on Hinata's current situation.

It was not his business, however.

Some minutes later, he felt her chakra quiver outside the door. She knocked.

"Enter."

The door slid open to reveal her small frame. She seemed to trying to hide behind the door, and when that action clearly hindered her task of entering the room, Hinata seemed to curl into herself as she walked in. The whole atmosphere of the Hyuuga household seemed to pull down her shoulders.

Her gaze didn't even stray to his face until she was mostly inside the room.

"Uchiha Itachi-sama..." Her eyes widened until they seemed to take up most of her face. She almost recoiled from him. There was no doubt she still remembered what he did even if she didn't remember the details. Itachi watched a strange sequence of emotions flash across her face, all of the expressions tinged with fear and repulsion.

Finally, she blinked and clenched her hands. Her entire body tensed. The glint in her eyes reminded him of a cornered animal, ready to lash out for the chance to escape.

Itachi quickly stood up. "Hinata-sama." Just as abruptly, the wild spark in her moon-eyes fizzled, calming to the same state as the cup of tea on the table, bitter and flat.

"Uchiha Itachi-sama," she said dully. "I welcome you to the Hyuuga estates. Please wait while I fetch Hiashi-sama."

"I apologize for my actions this morning," Itachi said quickly, before she really did flee. He bowed with the slow, easy movement, as to not scare her. Her feet stilled.

"P-please don't," she pleaded softly, as if he were about to commit a horrific crime. "You did what you had to, so...please...please don't. Have a good day, Uchiha-sama." Her body jerked in a parody of a bow.

Then Hinata turned and left with fleeting steps that bordered on running.

Itachi straightened from his rejected bow and looked at the empty doorway with a small, quizzical frown.

He had certainly not accounted for that kind of reaction.

Perhaps she would be more cooperative outside of the Hyuuga walls.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 12: An Unexpected Reaction - 5**

 

* * *

 

 

The sun roused her.

Hinata squinted against the rays, fighting the residual lightheadedness and weak muscles of her fitful sleep. She rarely remembered her dreams anymore, thankfully, but she always felt the aftereffects of struggling through them. Carefully, she turned so her feet were firmly on the ground, anchoring her to the world. She breathed deeply through her nose, then reached up and pulled her hair from the moist skin of her neck.

She efficiently readied herself for her duties. Wash face, clean teeth, braid hair back, and put on clothes. Hinata did all this with the fluid grace of practice. She grabbed her ubiquitous scroll and slipped out the door. Save for a few other Branch members, she encountered no one else in the long halls of the Hyuuga house. She reached the door, and stepped into her shoes. The guard waved at her and then covered up a yawn. The night shift was almost over, and he would be replaced by the next rotation.

Hinata breathed in the morning air deeply, relishing the crisp notes of autumn in the fading summer scents. It was comfortable to sink back into a familiar routine. Routine grounded her back to reality, tethered her down against the buffeting winds of change. That strange incident with Itachi had been a fluke.

Breakfast was always simple. Today's consisted rice, miso soup, grilled fish and pickled vegetables. The rice, miso and pickled vegetables they had in storage, but the fish and tofu needed to be ordered fresh.

Hinata mentally estimated the numbers as she walked the familiar path to the markets. There were approximately 150 ninja, and 50 branch members today, as there was lull in missions that took them outside the walls. Each person had about half a fish, though there were quite a few Hyuuga boys who'd just hit puberty who'll probably take in three or four each, totalling about 250 fish. That would mean-

Hinata's thoughts faded and she slowed to a halt. Itachi nodded slightly at her as he approached the paved crosswalk from the direction of the Uchiha estates. He was off duty, signaled only by the absence of his jounin vest and any visible weapons.

Apparently, he didn't get the hint yesterday in the meeting room: There was no need for an apology.

Stiffly, she nodded back. Though it was only the two of them in this back-path, hidden from prying eyes by smooth walls of stone, Hinata was still trained to be polite.

"Good morning, Hinata-sama."

Hinata swallowed. "Good morning, Itachi-sama." That would more than fulfill the requirements of common courtesy, and Hinata continued on her way. The overly-formal suffix he kept using embarrassed her, and it reminded her just enough of her previous status to feel like mockery.

She didn't expect Itachi to fall in step with her. Hinata glanced at him from the corner of her eye, intensely aware of the presence Itachi allowed her to feel. He was leaving just enough space between them to politely declare that they were nothing more than acquaintances, but also walking close enough to signify that they were indeed acquaintances. Manners dictated that two acquaintances from noble ninja clans could not walk in any sort of silence - awkward nor comfortable.

Small talk was a dreaded certainty.

AN: I'm glad you guys seem to be enjoying the short (but quick) updates! I am sacrificing a little planning/proofreading so I can push ahead, so please let me know if there's any mistakes/inconsistencies. I write this as a coffee break, and therefore I don't like using my brain very much. :)

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**Chapter 13: An Unexpected Reaction - 6**

  

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"Breathe," Itachi urged gently, though she still had to repress the impulse to flinch. There was a distinct hue of amusement in his voice that made her want to scowl, but she really was beginning to feel oddly faint.

Hinata stopped walking as she inhaled, only vaguely aware that Itachi had also stopped to stand next to her. She realized that her breaths had become more and more shallow in an unconscious attempt to minimize her own presence, to hide. She pressed a thin hand to her chest, displeased but not shocked by the betrayal of her own body, and exhaled.

"Thank you," she whispered. She turned her head, only to stiffen when she realized she was about to look into his -  _eyes that gleamed maliciously when they spotted her. Hinata curled into a ball, trying to squeeze herself into her corner, as if she could make herself disappear from sheer will. The jagged shadows seemed to reach out to dissect her._

_The darkness was suffocating, but she didn't dare breathe, for the Bad Man will find her and take her -_  eyes. His hand was on her shoulder, firmly tearing her away from her thoughts.

Hinata drew in a ragged gasp. Itachi didn't release her until he was sure she wouldn't lose her balance.

"I was inconsiderate of your situation," he said, with his gaze carefully averted. "Please accept my apology." True to his genius, he'd already deduced that his eyes triggered flashbacks. It wasn't actually his eyes, but the idea of what they could do. Though Hinata wasn't going to tell him that.

Hinata opened her mouth to refuse, but then she realized that despite Itachi's outward appearance of gentle concern, he'd already expertly blocked off her every path of escape. Even though he stood more than arm's length away from her, Hinata felt as if she couldn't even move an inch from her spot. He seemed to tower over her, filling the air with the dangerous sense of a feline stalking its prey.

It wasn't about an apology at all. She should have remembered she was dealing with a shinobi. Retracted claws were still claws, sharp and waiting. She'd been overly presumptive of her importance, yet again.

Nonetheless, the thought hurt, especially when this wasn't someone she should even be trying to impress. He was here just like every other genjutsu expert, thinking they could save the fallen daughter and curry favor with the Hyuuga. He wasn't here for her.

From what little she understood, the Uchiha and Hyuuga have always had an underlying rivalry. She will give him no reason to slither into the Hyuuga.

Hinata drew herself to her full, albeit unimpressive, height and forced herself to stare directly into his eyes. She concentrated with all her being, reminding herself that not even an idiot would place a genjutsu on a civilian for no good reason. He will do nothing to her.

"Then I accept your apology, Uchiha-sama," she said primly. "You are free of any unwarranted obligations. Have a good day."

She shifted forward and bowed deeply, forcing the Uchiha into moving back so her head wouldn't knock into his chest. Then Hinata stepped around him and continued on her way.

Her hands trembled from the effort of keeping her mind on this reality, and from the heavy weight of Itachi's speculative gaze on her back.

 

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**Chapter 14: An Unexpected Reaction - 7**

 

* * *

 

Usually, young women were very friendly to Itachi. He was quite aware that it was more due to his appearance than his status - he wouldn't be a very good ninja if he were still oblivious to that much.

Generally, young women were very eager to show gratitude to someone who went to the trouble of carrying their unconscious bodies home. Granted, he was also the likely perpetrator of her recent nightmares, but Itachi had tried to make up for that.

Which led to another point.

Most of the time, people didn't act as if a sincere apology was some sort of curse. The first time, he'd actually tried to do so formally, except Hinata had blanched, muttered something about getting Hiashi, to whom he'd just talked to, and fled. The second time, she'd practically told him to, in a phrase that Naruto liked to use so eloquently, "fuck off".

And, most people don't give Itachi whiplash from their personality shifts. (There had been that period when Team 7 hit puberty, but even that wasn't nearly so frustrating because he at least knew why his students had lost their minds.)

That was the problem, though. If he couldn't gauge her personality, he couldn't gain foothold in any of their conversations. She had seemed meek and timid, even fearful, and he had thought that direct eye contact triggered some sort of flashback. Yet then she had looked in him right in the eye as she faced him with a cool disdain that left even him shivering.

Itachi wasn't remotely affected by killer intent anymore, yet there something to her steely gaze in that one moment that bent him like a young boy before his mother. That was not the normal sequence of things.

Nothing about Hinata, Itachi realized with exasperation, could ever be considered normal.

While his intentions weren't completely altruistic, Itachi did hope that working with her could generate some answers for Hinata as well. He was one of the best illusionists in the village, and he knew to tread carefully.

If he could ever get her permission to "tread", that is.

Itachi briefly contemplated just demanding forgiveness after he did as he pleased. His student was already slated to be Hokage, and Naruto was extremely forgiving of people who had the right intentions. If that didn't work out, he could just become a double agent and infiltrate any growing missing-nin organizations for the good of Konoha.

With a shake of his head at his own foolish line of thought, Itachi reminded himself that he wasn't playing games with a sly kunoichi who was knowledgeable in mind games. This was a very scared young woman, plagued by nightmares for most of her life and caught in the tides and falls of Hyuuga expectations. A trapped doe will kick, an injured cat will lash out...it was not easy for her, as she didn't have missions to take her away from suffocating atmosphere of clan politics.

Itachi would have gone mad if he was forced to remain inside the Uchiha complex for so long. Yet she still seemed relatively sane.

Then he realized that he was approaching this challenge from the wrong angle.

Hinata may not be physically strong, but she wasn't some broken doll to be saved and pieced back together. This was a Hyuuga, a daughter of the clan head, a failure of a ninja who managed to survive years inside the home of a clan that rested their every worth on being a ninja. A tendril of respect bloomed inside him like a weed, unwanted yet unrestrainable.

Itachi blinked.

Strange.

His heart rate was also faster than normal.


	3. An Absurd Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Itachi is ridiculous and Hinata is pervy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo dawg, I heard you like chapters, so i put some chapters in yo chapters.

**Chapter 15: An Absurd Proposal - 1**

 

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The next day, Hinata wondered if she was still dreaming, teetering at the precipice of another nightmare.

Itachi was there, again, standing at the place where the road that led to the Hyuuga complex intersected with the one that led to the Uchiha estates. He looked the same - plain black top, loose black pants, standard issue canvas sandals, his long hair pulled back in a simple ponytail and the forehead protector glinting from between his bangs. Even his relaxed position that belied the calculated set of his feet was reminiscent of yesterday.

But perfect manners were in her blood, and Hinata nodded at him with a cursory smile frozen on her lips as she passed him. He fell in step beside her, yet again leaving the precise amount of space between them that rendered them neither close nor distant. The small hope inside her withered away like the leaves on the ground.

Nothing about Uchiha Itachi, she realized uncomfortably, was ever by accident.

It was all exactly the same as yesterday morning. But this was not a normality that Hinata wanted. She had made it very clear that she did not him sniffing around for Hyuuga weaknesses. Yet Itachi was still putting a horrific (and deliberate) kink in her beloved routine and Hinata did _not appreciate his rudeness._

"I will not insult you with petty pleasantries," he began. Hinata stole a glance at Itachi. He was carefully looking forward, and the Hyuuga felt a reluctant twinge of gratitude warm her chest. "I had few options, and your help created the lowest possibility of failure. The physical safety of the civilians is priority, especially inside Konoha's walls."

"I know," she agreed softly. Of the many things she heard about him, none mentioned his verbosity. In fact, it seemed downright out-of-character in context of everything else. Why was he trying to explain such basic things to her? While she never passed the genin test, Hinata had graduated from the Academy. The shinobi laws of the village were among the first things they memorized. "And I accepted your apology. There is no need to justify."

"Considering your unusual vulnerability to genjutsu, there is," he countered. Hinata stopped walking as she winced at how bluntly he spoke. "I admit that I used it to my advantage despite being well aware of the repercussions."

They both looked down at Hinata's clenched fists. The tiny, healing scratches stood out in stark white. She quickly tucked her hands into her sleeves, suddenly feeling small and repulsive.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked after a moment. At this point, most tried to convince her how they help her/Hyuuga, instead of blatantly stating their own wrongs.

If this was another tactic, it was a very odd one.

"I need your help. For training."

Hinata blinked. Absurdity also seemed highly uncharacteristic for someone like Itachi, yet every time she'd conversed with him, he'd proven exactly that.

Was she really so poor a judge of character? Was Itachi actually one of  _those_  people - a cracked genius like the infamous Hatake Kakashi? Tsuru had warned her of such ninja who were so far off their rocker they weren't even touching the ground anymore. She'd heard the stories.

Hinata studied his pockets, wondering if any of them contained a garish orange book, lying in wait for the opportune moment to burst out.

It was then that, belatedly, Hinata realized she was staring intently at Itachi's pelvic region.

Face flaming, she quickly averted her gaze.

If Itachi thought anything of her strange actions, he made no show of it as he continued. "Ideally, you will allow me to cast genjutsu on you a few times a week. Only subtle jutsu that will not trigger anything, as I hope to use your sensitivity to amplify the aspects of interest in my jutsu."

Hinata was so mortified she barely heard him, or barely cared. After a long moment, Itachi shifted to leave. "Please at least consider it. Have a good day, Hinata-sama."

This time, she was the one who was left watching Itachi's retreating back.

 

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**Chapter 16: An Absurd Proposal - 2**

 

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Itachi did indeed notice her staring.

Frankly, it made him a little uncomfortable.

Itachi was sadly accustomed to the rather perverted gazes of his fans, for looking was much more preferable to touching. If she'd been simply admiring him, Itachi would have taken it as a positive sign, as that meant he had a better chance of gaining her agreement to his proposal.

Instead, she'd been regarding his groin with a distinct expression of terror. Like she was expecting something from her nightmares to burst out.

Itachi wasn't a vain man, by any means, nor was he a ill-tempered one. But even he had to feel a little bit indignant. Some aspect about his crotch area seemed to offend her so much that she wasn't even listening to him anymore.

She was turning an interesting shade of red, though Itachi was no longer sure why. Hinata was difficult to read, despite her lack of training in ninja techniques to control her emotions. Regardless of her thoughts, her physical cues always resulted in a mix of terror and humiliation. It was like trying to translate a foreign language, except someone had replaced half the text with a second language without informing him.

Her silence was getting a little unnerving. "Please at least consider it. Have a good day, Hinata-sama," he said, rushing to the end of this conversation. He will get not anything useful now, and there was only the possibility that her embarrassment over acting so strangely would galvanize her into a positive answer.

Though after three days, it became quite apparent that he will not be receiving a response.

There were a multitude of lines of communication open to her: letter, messenger, messenger bird, talking to any one of the hundreds of Uchiha in this village, telling her father, or simply keeping to her morning routine and nodding when she saw him.

That was another thing. She'd changed her route to the market and Itachi felt a little too much like Jiraiya to track her down again.

The logical side of Itachi wondered if it was time to give up. Hinata did not want to cooperate, and he can not force her. But now, it was quickly becoming more a point of pride than mere curiosity.

Most people pointed to Sasuke as the stubborn one, and Itachi as the wise one. But they were still brothers. Itachi did not achieve what he had through the wisdom of knowing when to give up, but rather the wisdom of knowing when to appear to have given up.

He simply needed a change of tactics. Hinata will be even more upset with him, but Itachi found himself less inclined to care after all the frustration she has caused him.

 

* * *

 

  **Chapter 17: An Absurd Proposal - 3**

 

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Itachi poured tea for Hiashi as a sign of respect.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me again, Hyuuga-sama," he said. Hiashi nodded from across the low table, eyes curious. Itachi set the teapot down. A strand of steam from the spout unfurled between them, reaching for the ceiling.

"It is unusual that the heir of Uchiha requests two private meetings with me within a week. You mentioned my daughter, Hinata."

"Yes, I did," Itachi confirmed. "I already explained the circumstances surrounding the incident at the market place."

"Hinata may be difficult at times, but she is not unintelligent," Hiashi said. "She understands your actions. I told you it was unnecessary, but did she not accept your apology?"

Itachi shook his head. "No, she did. But another aspect has come to my attention. Namely, Hinata's reaction to genjutsu. I was hoping that she would agree to some investigation of it."

"You wish to experiment on her," the Hyuuga head translated cooly. He took a sip of tea, purposely making Itachi wait for the rest of his words. "Why should I agree to subject my daughter to something we all know will cause her great distress?"

"Let me ask you, Hiashi-sama: What is the key ingredient in the antidote for a snake's poison?"

The Hyuuga's eyes narrowed as his fingers tightened minutely around his cup. "If you are suggesting that inundating Hinata with genjutsu to desensitize her is the solution, I must personally see you to Tsunade's office at the hospital."

Itachi suppressed a triumphant smile. A reaction. He's found his foothold.

"I do not take you for a fool, Hyuuga-sama," he soothed. "Nor I am not a believer in excess. I wish to explore the most subtle aspects of genjutsu, and Hinata's mind amplifies it. And in turn, she does not have an adverse reaction to all genjutsu. You mentioned that her symptoms were less severe than usual after I'd erased her direct memories of the genjutsu and left only her impression of the event itself." Hiashi was turning his cup in his hands, a sign of thought. Itachi summarized with a final statement: "Ultimately, I believe it could be beneficial and provide some answers to both of us."

Hiashi took another sip of his tea. He took another. He looked at Itachi, and the Uchiha merely smiled politely. Decisions like these can't be rushed, and he was willing to wait.

Then the older man place his cup down the table with a soft clink.

"I will inform Hinata to meet you at the usual intersection. Is that acceptable?"

The Uchiha heir almost chuckled. So Hiashi had been aware of his little meetings with Hinata all along.

"Thank you." He bowed and let himself out of Hiashi's office. He nodded respectfully as he passed Hanabi, who had been waiting at the door.

 

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**Chapter 18: An Absurd Proposal - 4**

 

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Dinner was always complicated.

Though the menu was not much different from that of breakfast, there were far more people in attendance. The delicate balance of a family dinner was far more precarious at the end of the day when people's tempers were shorter. And while attendance wasn't required, hunger was far more motivating than any mandate.

Branch members were not slaves - Branch Head Tsuru had been quite vocal about that distinction - and do not deliver meals or clean rooms for those are capable of doing so themselves. Branch Hyuuga were still Hyuuga, and the council could not refute the fact. In this case, a victory for dignity culminated in awkward celebratory meals for all.

As usual, Hinata gathered a tray for her dinner and headed back for her room. Technically, she was supposed to dine in the main dining hall, but everyone knew her preferred routine, and let her pass with a muted greeting. However, tonight found her door blocked by a member of the Main family.

Hinata halted.

"Good evening, Hanabi-san."

The younger sister frowned and crossed her arms with a little sniff. "Don't call me that." Hinata smiled slightly.

"My apologies, Hanabi-sama." That seemed to anger the girl more, and she leveled Hinata with a glare. Hinata bowed, an awkward action given the tray in her hands. "I mean Hyuuga-sama. It won't happen again."

Hanabi looked at Hinata for a long moment. Then she sighed and twisted her mouth in acceptance. "What does Uchiha-san want from you?" she asked suspiciously. "I saw him talking to Father and your name came up."

Hinata had yet to come a decision, and instead made sure to avoid that intersection that connected the paths to Uchiha and Hyuuga. She had presumptuously breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't keep showing up.

But it seemed that Itachi had grown impatient and decided to go behind her back straight to her father.

How rude. Hinata wondered how anyone could possibly like Itachi, when his personality was so terrible.

"I am unaware of any dealings between them," Hinata answered truthfully, though cryptically. Shinobi kept secrets, and Hanabi was a genius shinobi. But ironically enough, her little sister was possibly the worst gossip on this side of Fire Country. Add in her skills in reconnaissance and the Byakugan, and the result was truly frightening.

When (not 'if') it got out that Itachi had requested such a strange thing from her, her veil of relative anonymity will be ripped to shreds. Likely by the swarms of Itachi-fangirls that infested Konoha.

Hanabi raised an eyebrow. "I don't believe you."

"You will have to ask your father, Hyuuga-sama," Hinata repeated firmly. Hanabi pursed her lips to hide the flash of hurt in her pale eyes, and then nodded.

"Fine, thanks."

Hinata watched her little sister go with a mixed expression. She knew Hanabi hated it when Hinata acted so servile and treated her like a stranger, but it better this way if they remained distant.

It was hard to miss the sideways glances the others gave them when they conversed. Wouldn't want Hanabi to be tainted.

Hinata let out a small sigh and retreated to her room. She missed the time before Itachi when dinner was a simple affair, when she didn't have to worry about evading nosy little sisters without hurting their feelings.

Or begging her father not to accept ridiculous proposals from rude, absurd geniuses.

 

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**Chapter 19: An Absurd Proposal - 5**

 

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Itachi looked up at the tree that leaned over the intersection of the paths connected the Hyuuga and Uchiha estates.

"You could have just asked me," he commented. Wisely, his stalker realized he had been caught, and revealed himself without further encouragement.

"Itachi." Sasuke said by way of greeting as he dropped down.

"Foolish little brother."

The younger Uchiha leaned against the fence next to Itachi. He rolled his eyes as adopted a similar position to his brother's - hands deceptively relaxed at his sides, and feet crossed in a casual way.

"Are you just never going to drop that stupid epithet?"

A faint smirk quirked Itachi's lips. "As a reward for using a big word, I am happy to comply, my silly tiny sibling of the male persuasion."

Sasuke gagged. "I give up. That's worse." Itachi made a soft noise of amusement.

They lapsed into a moment of comfortable silence. Sasuke broke after a minute.

"So who is she?"

"Hyuuga Hinata." Sasuke turned his head to stare at him.

"No wonder Mom's been sighing so much - Dad won't like that."

"Father is aware of my intentions."

Sasuke's eyes brightened triumphantly, and a sly smile creeped across his face. "Will you name a nephew after me? I'll be a great uncle." Itachi raised an eyebrow.

"You are being presumptuous, and yet again prove your role as my foolish little brother." Sasuke faced dropped and he scowled at the reminder of Itachi's favorite pet name for him. "Hyuuga-san possesses a very unusual trait that I do not usually encounter," Itachi went on to explain. "I find myself curious on how the Sharingan affects her."

Sasuke blinked, his face oddly blank. "It's illegal if they're under the influence of the Sharingan."

Itachi blinked, his face impassive. Then he closed his eyes as if to ward off a migraine. "You have been spending too much time with our future Rokudaime, perverted little brother."

"What do you think I'm talking about, perverted big brother?"

Sasuke simply looked angelic. Itachi held out for nearly half a minute before he huffed in fond amusement. His little brother was incorrigible, but he wouldn't have him any other way.

To think that this carefree, mischievous Sasuke might have never had the chance to grow...Itachi had disobeyed direct orders only once in his life, and that was Danzo's missive to exterminate his clan. To rebel or to comply: either path left him trapped between cold, unyielding walls.

Itachi looked back at Sasuke, and the younger gave him a questioning look. The elder shook his head, signaling that it was nothing.

No one else will know just how close the Uchiha had come to extinction that day. Not even the Sandaime. Other insiders were already...disposed of. But thinking back to that day, even if he had to repeat that excruciating choice a thousand times, Itachi was certain he would have always picked the same.

He was loyal to the end, and he will not betray his family.

The soft feel of Hinata's chakra pulled him from his spiraling thoughts. Itachi looked up.

"You should go," he told Sasuke. "She scares easily." And Itachi wasn't sure how she was going to react to him this time.

Something about the subtly darker tinge to Itachi's expression discouraged any wisecracks. Sasuke nodded and made his exit after a simple "Good luck".

 

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**Chapter 20: An Absurd Proposal - 6**

 

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Hinata was not pleased to see Itachi waiting for her at his usual spot.

"Good morning, Itachi-sama."

"Good morning, Hinata-sama."

Again, he fell into step with her.

"Are you free tonight?" he asked after a few moments of silence. Hinata pursed her lips.

"My father didn't inform you already?" she countered. Her tone was mostly polite, but she could not bring herself to look at him. Last night, Hiashi had simply informed her that she will accept, without so much of an explanation why she had to suffer more for something she already hated about herself.

"I am not a patient man when my patience is unwarranted," Itachi informed her matter-of-factly. "I asked you first."

"That you did," Hinata agreed.

Itachi let her mull over her thoughts as they walked. Hinata fiddled with the scroll in her hands. Hiashi had told her in no uncertain terms that she will help Itachi in this, though her father never saw fit to provide an answer why. But if her clan head approved what she saw an a slimy attempt to infiltrate the Hyuuga, Hinata really couldn't find much logic to support any other choice. In her eyes, it all came down to clan politics. Since Hiashi condoned it, she would actually be improving the relationship between the esteemed Uchiha and Hyuuga clans.

She would be stupid not to do it. Even if the process would ruin her life as she knew it.

"I have no obligations after 7pm," she finally said.

"Good. We will meet in the Training Area 4 then. That is a private Uchiha lot and I reserved it so our agreement will not be discovered. Do you know where it is located?"

Hinata nodded. "I know the layout of the training fields."

"Until then, Hinata-sama."

"Have a good day," she whispered to the swirl of leaves he left beside her.

That was rather considerate of him to find a place that was secluded - clearly, he was aware of how the rest of the village might react to their little agreement. Though was hardly enough to assuage the insult of going behind her back to Hiashi.

Still, Hinata hugged herself, wondering what the hell she'd just done.

Had she just agreed to meet Uchiha Itachi at night, alone, in an isolated place where no one else could see or hear her? So he could delve into the crevices of her mind?

Oh my.

Despite her best efforts to keep her thoughts clean, Hinata turned a deep, broiled-lobster red.


	4. Lessons in Wishing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Hinata and Itachi pretend they don't like each other (but they do, they so do).

**Chapter 21: Lessons in Wishing - 1**

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"Hinata, are you alright?"

She blinked, and realized that she'd been daydreaming, kneeling in the middle of the herb garden with a clump of weeds still grasped in her hand. A pair of feet in clean but worn sandals stood before her. Hinata looked up to see Neji.

"Neji-san," she greeted with a small smile. "Did you just return? You look well. " Hinata placed the clump of weeds and stood as she brushed the dirt from her clothes.

Neji offered her half smile, a bare twist of the lips, as he nodded. Those same lips had once curled in a snarl every time he saw her, but was that was another lifetime ago. After her sealing, there was a new protectiveness in the way he treated her. In his eyes, they were comrades, both victims of a suppressive clan system.

Neji was wrong, though Hinata had no intention of sharing her honest opinion. He was the victim, but she was only the result. While he was never given the chance to fight, she had. Hinata had fallen solely due to her own weakness. That was a responsibility she will keep with her, and never let fall on her undeserved guardian.

"You do not," Neji replied bluntly with a slight frown. His gaze lingered on the dark circles that cradled her eyes. Hinata looked down at her dirty gardening gloves. His concern weighed heavy on her shoulders. "He had no right to use you so freely."

"I am doing better, though," she said after a moment. So he already heard of what happened at the market, though he had yet talk to Hanabi. Despite her grudging acceptance, she was still secretly relieved that Neji wasn't aware that she and Itachi were meeting tonight. That would get very ugly, very quickly, and Hinata's primary goal was still to hold the pieces of her life in some semblance of mundanity. "Genjutsu is triggering, but I'm starting to forget."

Neji's eyes narrowed. "Uchiha Itachi forgets that not everyone gives in to his will because he is a genius. I shall go talk to him."

Hinata looked up.

"Neji." Her intimate usage of his name earned his silence. "Do not treat me like an invalid. I won't lie to you and say I am unaffected, but not enough to justify your reaction." She didn't know why she was defending someone she disliked. "Do not distract yourself with worry while on your mission." Their eyes clashed, fighting a silent battle that spanned years. Hinata was the first to look away, a tactical retreat. "How long?"

It was a clumsy change of subject at best and Neji sighed.

"Three weeks," he informed her. "We leave tomorrow morning."

"So soon?"

Neji made a motion that could only be described as an elegant shrug.

"My rotation will end soon."

Out of habit, Hinata reached up and fixed the collar on Neji's already immaculate jounin vest. And it will remain immaculate, for Hinata knew that as soon as Neji found the opportunity, the jounin uniform would be replaced by the one for ANBU.

All ninja rotated between a schedule of nearly back-to-back mission and a period of rest. It was far more effective, as shinobi did not have to suddenly oscillate between rushes of adrenaline and extreme relaxation, as many villages did. Grouping missions allowed ninja to truly recuperate and train, and ultimately made for ninja with longer, stronger careers.

Nonetheless, she worried. Hinata resisted the urge to hug him, and merely patted his arm.

"Please be safe."

"I will try."

These were hardly words anymore, rather the familiar motions that conveyed all the rich hues and meanings after years of seeing him off on missions.

She squeezed his hand and stepped back as she watched Neji leap gracefully for the roof, his long hair streaming out behind him. She almost let herself wish that she was joining him.

Instead, Hinata turned her view to the hard blue sky, staring at the birds as they faded into the distance.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 22: Lessons in Wishing - 2**

* * *

 

Hinata frowned slightly as she checked her watch.

Itachi had two minutes before seven, and three before she turned around and went straight back to the Hyuuga complex. Hinata restrained the urge to tap her foot. Ninja or not, it was generally polite to arrive a few minutes before, not a few moments. It was yet another mark on her growing mental list of his blunders in etiquette. Dinner preparations had run late, so she'd even skipped her meal in order to avoid tardiness.

Yet seven came and passed without any sign of Itachi.

Hinata glanced at the plaque that declared this area number 4. He had said Training Area 4, didn't he?

She was being a little harsh. He was a high-level jounin, after all, and the mentor of the soon-to-be Rokudaime. He must be really busy, unlike herself.

Maybe she'll waiting a little longer.

There was a slight chill in the air, and Hinata hugged herself, leaning back into the sturdy trunk of the lone tree in the middle of Training Area 4. The bark still contained some residual warmth from the now-setting sun.

Sunset was timed at 7:25 pm today, and it'll take about 10-15 minutes for it to set. As soon as she could no longer see the orange glow of the sun, she really was leaving. He was the first one to insult her by being late, so she was no longer obligated to stay, right?

He should have at least sent some sort of note.

He was the rude one.

Then it was final. She was leaving.

Really.

The last rays of the sun faded from sight, leaving the lot in increasing darkness.

Hinata stood and began to walk. Somehow, her feet only took her in a circle around the tree, again and again. She really could not easily accept that he had lost interest that quickly.

A small part of her enjoyed being pursued so sincerely, even if it was for the wrong reasons. It was nice to be treated as special, to be singled out by someone like Itachi.

He must have decided she wasn't worth the effort after all. Hinata smiled sadly as she pulled away from her track around the tree and began to cross to the gate in earnest. The gnawing emptiness inside her was just hunger, and it was making her regret the dinner she didn't eat.

This was what she wished for, after all. She now had every right to could go back to her perfect, mundane life now.

She made one last mental mark against him, for his worst faux pas to date, for the cruelest crime he could have committed against her.

Itachi had given her cause to hope for something more than bleak monotony.

 

* * *

**Chapter 23: Lessons in Wishing - 3**

* * *

  

Itachi stared at the flickers of ire across her face, fascinated by the strange play emotions. Her eyes were glazed with a subtle genjutsu, and it was normal that she would be annoyed.

But everything else was just as strange as he'd expected.

The first few illusions he'd tested for their first meeting were too subtle, and only worked as they should in trivial shifts - smelled things that weren't there, feeling sleepy...etc. While both of them agreed that any Sharingan usage was too soon, Hinata was the first to suggest a larger genjutsu. All he'd placed on her was an illusion that hid him from her, and he allowed more chakra than before.

Rather than fainting again, she began muttering phrases to herself. "Why isn't he here...late...rude..." Then she stood and began circling the tree they sat underneath. Itachi followed a few paces behind. While his genjutsu would never be so faulty as to accidentally alter her perception of the terrain, he found himself worried that she might fall.

Also, he found himself unable to watch the hurt on her features each time she passed back around the trunk, her head hung low and fingers of one hand trailing over the rough bark as if it were the only thing keeping her upright.

When she sighed in defeat and began to head for the gate, he laid a light hand on her shoulder, silently dispelling the weave of his chakra around her.

"Hinata-sama?"

She paused, and then tensed as she registered the shift back to reality. Itachi quickly retracted his hand. Disorientation was common after genjutsu, and he didn't want to startle her further. Hinata took a slow breathe, in and out, and turned back to him with a small pursing of her lips.

"You were late, and I thought you'd forgotten about me," she reported flatly, eyes downcast. They both knew that he wouldn't forget - she'd mean "abandoned". The worst part was that she didn't seem to be accusing him. The resigned disappointment in Hinata's voice made a corner in Itachi's chest ache. He wasn't sure if it was anger or pity or maybe both.

"Ironic, considering that in actuality, you were the one who arrived after me," he said gently. "I did not realize that my genjutsu would perpetuate your sense of competition over something trivial like punctuality."

"Being punctual is the polite thing to do," she replied. But her lips were quirked in a reluctant smile.

That was the first genuine smile he'd managed to pry from Hinata, and somehow, he knew it was a rare sight.

Hinata fidgeted under his perusal. "What did you learn from that genjustu?" she asked. Itachi blinked and quickly gathered his thoughts. While he'd already drawn many conclusions and theories, the genjutsu had not been at the forefront of his mind at all. He must be more fatigued than he realized.

"You are aware that your mind warps genjutsu?" She nodded.

"Yes, everything is amplified and takes better hold for it since my mind seems to be especially good at filling the gaps. I've never been able to dispel any genjutsu on my own."

Itachi tilted his head. His genjutsu did not contain gaps, especially on such a small scale as what he'd placed on her. And while it was true that genjutsu relied on the target's imagination to fill in the perceived gaps, that wasn't what occurred earlier. Hinata's mind had taken his illusion, and built an entire story around it, much like how an oyster would encase a grain of sand in layers of nacre to protect itself from the intrusion.

He suspected that all the other investigators were only focused on fixing this reaction, rather than understanding it.

"Alright," he said. "I've learned plenty for today. I will walk you home."

 

* * *

**Chapter 24: Lessons in Wishing - 4**

* * *

  

It was hard not to warm up to Itachi a little when he was being considerate. Hinata had come to the field with the expectation that she will have more nightmares tonight. Instead, he'd only done a few minor genjutsu and said he'd learned enough.

Such was the difference of a genius.

Itachi walked beside her. As if sensing her mixed awe and confusion, he began explaining in further detail. "The Uchiha's bloodline limit is the Sharingan, and the activated form grants users what seems to be the ability to predict the future. In reality, it is more a case of hypersensitivity to chakra movement. That same hyper-awareness allows for better genjutsu. While I only cast genjutsu without the use my Sharingan, your reaction was similar as if I had used my doujutsu on another target. I will have to investigate that similarity further, of course..."

While Hinata normally disliked having things she already knew explained to her, she found herself enjoying the lecture. She was coming to suspect that Itachi was actually a talkative person by nature. He enjoyed explaining things, and he did it well with a soothing, even-paced tone. He moved his hands in an almost animated way and his dark eyes seemed to flash.

"You enjoy teaching," she commented.

"Indeed," he readily confirmed. "Though I've only taught one genin team."

"The Rokudaime's team."

Even though he only smiled slightly, Hinata could see his pride in his students. She found herself curious, and welcoming of a subject that wasn't about how weak and weird she was.

"Can you tell me about them?"

"There is Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Namikaze Naruto. Sasuke is my little brother, and Sakura and Naruto were his classmates who graduated in his class. Normally, they avoid assigning family together, but the council was quite accommodating."

Quite accommodating? Something about the way his inflection seemed odd. She wondered if had something to do with the uproar surrounding the Uchiha clan over a decade ago.

"How old were they when they graduated the Academy?" Itachi tilted his head, and Hinata realized that she was rudely prying. "I mean I wonder if I knew them back then," she backtracked, looking down with a wince at her awkward prose. Her curiosity had made her forget her manners.

Maybe she shouldn't be so condemning of Itachi's rudeness when she was such a hypocrite.

"Sasuke and Naruto graduated when they were nine, and were placed under my tutelage. They did not become genin until two years later, however, when Sakura graduated as well and completed Team 7."

"I remember Sakura," Hinata murmured. The pink-haired girl stood out most in her mind, because she could barely remember a Naruto and a Sasuke after their brief time in her class. A lot of people had disliked the loud, know-it-all girl, but Hinata had admired her. She seemed fearless, and despite the girl's attempts to hide behind a feminine exterior, was freakishly strong, judging by the bruises and subsequent wariness that decorated the other boys' faces when they pissed her off.

Itachi remained silent, letting her mull over her thoughts. Before Hinata knew it, they were at the side-door she favored. She began to unlock it and looked back at him over her shoulder.

"Good night, Hinata-sama."

The faint hint of a smile fell from her face. He waited, patiently, and it made her think of what he told her before.

 _I am not a patient man when my patience is unwarranted_.

The idea that her answer was warranted gave her bravery. She spoke after a moment, unused to sharing her displeasure. "Please don't call me that. It seems overly formal."

"Would 'Hinata-san' be tolerable, then?" She nodded. "Then I request the same courtesy for my name as well."

Her courage still rushing through her veins, Hinata added, "And please don't be late tomorrow."

There was a hint of a smile on his lips. "I will try my best."

"Good night, Itachi-san."

"Good night, Hinata-san." With another little bow, she stepped through the gate and closed the door behind her with a soft click.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 25: Lessons in Wishing - 5**

 

* * *

 

 

Despite her best effort, Itachi was again waiting for her, already lounging against the tree when she arrived.

Hinata felt uncomfortable under his careful gaze as she approached.

"I am not late," he said with a slight nod in greeting. Hinata paused, even though she warmed at the private joke between them.

Last night had proceeded too smoothly. She'd let herself get too comfortable in the safety of darkness, but the light of day peeled back every illusion. Like overworked muscles, everything only felt more stiff and stilted than before. One step forward, three steps back.

"That's good," she replied for the lack of anything else. She fell silent, and she stared at his feet, waiting for him to say something. Except he wasn't - the jerk was simply waiting. She detested that he forced the conversation to her control. "How is this going to work?" she finally managed.

Then like a puppet jerked to action, Itachi began to react again.

"Now that I have a slightly better gauge of your reactions, I have a few questions I would like you to answer as fully as you able or willing to," he began. Hinata nodded, and launched into the same summary she provided every person who tried to untangle the puzzle of her strange, strange mind.

"I don't remember when the nightmares began, but Hyuuga-sama says they began sometime after I was kidnapped. I was around five, and Hanabi-sama had just been born..."

Itachi raised a hand, a gesture asking her to cease. She trailed off uncertainly. Most people listened to that, searching to the kill the root and therefore the rest of the sprawling entity with it. Never mind the fact that her "condition" was hopelessly tangled and melded into everything she knew.

"I hate to interrupt, but details of how your sensitivity came to be is useless when I don't have understanding of how it is currently."

She blinked. Wasn't that what yesterday was for? He'd refused to ask any questions, and upon explaining each one in excruciating detail, asked for her permission to place one simple genjutsu.

"Then what do you want to ask?"

Itachi sat, and gestured for her to do the same. Hinata obeyed, because her time was given to him now, and it seemed somehow rude to reject such a simple thing. She took a seat an arm span's away, facing the same direction so she didn't have to continue staring at everywhere but his eyes.

"Did you have any nightmares from yesterday's session?"

"I wouldn't call them nightmares, but I did dream of related subjects."

"So there is a noticeable relationship," he said, and she nodded. "Was it a continuation of the final situation in the genjutsu?"

Hinata paused. How did he guess? "Yes. I merely dreamed that I left after you didn't arrive, at which point, I was chased down the empty street by...monsters." Itachi gave her a curious look for her strange inflection, but she wasn't ever going to tell him that she'd been chased down the street by screeching Itachi-fangirls.

"And is there any ever effect on the caster?"

Hinata gave him a confused look, because the battlefield was always inside her mind. "No," she answered, regardless how ridiculous it was that he had any reason to fear her.

She expected him to ask more, because that was what the others always did. Why? How? Where? When? Poking and prodding for details, more details, and more and more details with their words. She'd expected this cross-examination yesterday.

Instead, he shifted so he faced her again, cross-legged like before.

"This time, I am going to purposely create a genjutsu with missing elements, gaps, as many call them ," he explained. "I want to investigate your ability to patch those gaps." He lifted one hand to form a seal. She could see the thick calluses lining his palm, and her renewed awareness of them calmed Hinata. It was proof that he was human after all, a person of breakable flesh and bone. He wasn't the monster. "May I?" he asked, just like yesterday.

"Yes." She looked up, and their eyes finally met. His pupils were still dark, solid and slanted and safe.

She could feel her pulse pounding against her eardrums.

And before she succumbed to his spell, Hinata decided that this - whatever  _this_ was and will become - wasn't so horrible after all.

 

* * *

**Chapter 26: Lessons in Wishing - 6**

* * *

 

 

They were waiting for the Hokage.

Itachi glanced at the clock, repressing the urge to tap his foot.

It was already 7:25 pm.

The whole ordeal was taking much longer than he'd hoped. He'd been called in for a Code Red early this morning. What should have been a simple search and capture for one of the lower-level interrogation prisoners ended up a marathon in the labyrinthine dungeons of the ANBU building. Somehow, the fugitive had managed to jumble the genjutsu that allowed for communication between guards, making it impossible for anyone but those who knew the layout to navigate. Namely Head Interrogator Ibiki and himself.

Itachi had sent Hinata a message notifying her that he will probably be unable to make it, but it still irked him that such a silly mission had encroached on his precious off-rotation activities.

They were only beginning to settle into a routine. And he was only beginning to understand Hinata.

She was a strange mix of traditional, noble pride and crippling self-doubt. When he was demanding, she crumpled before him like wet paper, and yet when he was too demanding, there was a reflexive indignation to her posture that revealed her Hyuuga blood. But if he waited, forcefully waited out her first moments of hesitance, she unfolded, and stepped out of that heavy, cumbersome shell.

They had made good progress as they'd settled into a simple routine of questions and small, subtle experiments. Hinata hadn't suggested Sharingan usage yet, and Itachi found himself reluctant to push it too quickly. Today might have been the day, though.

Ibiki, who was seated next to him, gave him a searching look. "Missed a date with the girlfriend?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "No. Why would you assume that?"

The large man smiled slightly, his scars pulling his expression into something more sinister than he probably intended. "You almost seemed restless tonight. And the only reason someone would look at the clock with so much emotion is if they're missing something important. Can't be something that happens regularly, either, so a special date with the girlfriend is usually a good guess."

"A viable guess," Itachi agreed easily, "but an incorrect one." He was restless because no one enjoyed mind-numbing busy work. He had been conscious of the time because he had already gone through much trouble to secure the meetings with Hinata.

Ibiki shrugged. "A potential girlfriend then. Either way, you seem more lively than usual. The logical conclusion is a nice girl." He eyed Itachi clinically for a moment. "Or boy. I don't judge. Though that would explain some of your more artistic utilization of fire jutsu."

The Uchiha tried not to glare.

He was mostly successful.

"I don't appreciate being psychoanalyzed when I'm off duty, Ibiki-san," he said sternly. "The nature of my techniques has little reflection of my personal life."

"It's my job," Ibiki said with a knowing smirk. "And you'll be surprised how everything is connected."

Itachi shook his head in a neutral gesture.

Talking to the Head of Interrogation always felt like a psychiatric exam. It was a sour way to end an already trying evening.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 27: Lessons in Wishing - 7**

 

* * *

  

She was still waiting for him.

He didn't realize he'd been hoping,  _wishing_ , that she was waiting for him until he saw her, leaning against the post of the streetlight. The amber light made her dark hair gleam against the pale fabrics she always adorned herself in. Her head was lowered down - she didn't notice his presence - and her hands clasped loosely in front of her.

The strange unease inside his chest faded, replaced by swelling that ached in a wonderful sort of way. Routines formed so quickly, and what was unfamiliar just a few weeks ago was already missed.

"I was late this time," he admitted as he stepped into that small circle of light. She looked up with surprise.

Before Itachi's eyes, her expression seemed to bloom from neutral apathy to unadulterated joy. It was strange to see such a sweet expression on her face, when she'd only shown him ones of dislike before.

It was only for a moment, before her pale eyes widened. She turned away with a strained smile, curling into herself again like a withered flower.

"That's understandable," she said simply, effectively shutting down any further conversation. She look away awkwardly as Itachi tried to think of something that was acceptable to say.

Instead, a piteous gurgle filled the still, night air.

Hinata clutched her stomach, and glanced back at him. Her luminous eyes were wide with shocked humiliation. The whole scene was of a horror movie badly juxtaposed with slapstick comedy.

Itachi frowned. Hinata always had dinner before they met.

"How long have you been waiting?"

"Things got busy today, and I would have been late," she admitted.

Itachi twisted his lips, but he couldn't suppress his slight smile. Her mortification over a minor stumble was endearing, and it was telling how closely she observed the rules. Even after he'd warned her of his possible tardiness, she'd been sure to be on time. Be it due to a sharp respect for schedules or a deeper reason, she'd waited for him.

"Come with me. It would be remiss of me to leave a young lady hungry after she'd skipped dinner for me." Itachi motioned for Hinata to follow him. Her eyes widened and she quickly shook her head when she realized that he wanted them to venture into inner city.

"N-no, thank you. People will talk if they see us together. It will appear improper." She shrank away from him, clutching her ubiquitous scroll like a weapon. Hinata edged to the far side of the warm circle of light, and Itachi got the odd sense that she would disappear from him if she stepped into the dark night.

He looked at her - really looked at her, this time - and saw a young woman who was shrouded in layers upon layers of old family politics and expectations. Just like him, except it appeared someone had never given her the chance to fight for herself. There were many unjust stories in the world, but this moment in particular, made him uncomfortable and just a little bit angry.

So Itachi smirked, even though he knew he looked like Sasuke (but it was really Sasuke that resembled him).

"So? It would be rude to reject my offer."

Miraculously, she nodded.


	5. House of Glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is Team 7 and everyone is adorable.

**Chapter 28: House of Glass - 1**

 

* * *

 

Hinata wondered if there was something wrong with her. She was supposed to refuse.

Mostly so she could rush home in an attempt to reduce her utter shame. She was sure gurgling stomachs broke some form of etiquette. And even worse, when she saw him, half-hidden in the warm glow of the street lights, she'd smiled at him like an idiot.

But when he faced her so straightforwardly, without the sideways glances and the sideways words. Only a sideways smile that was so unexpected but somehow fit him so well.

Hinata couldn't reject him this time. He wasn't mocking her, nor trying to use her, nor any other ulterior motive. He was asking her, Hinata.

And such a small thing was enough.

So here she was, walking placidly next to Itachi as he directed them to one of the busiest streets of Konoha. A voice in her head reminded her harshly that people will see, and people will talk. Her primary goal of trying to keep a low profile would be completely blasted to pieces.

Itachi looked at her, and then pointed them to side-street. Hinata really shouldn't continue to follow him, but that's what she did. They ended up in front of a small, but welcoming ramen stand.

"Ichiraku Ramen is the favorite of one of my students when he's feeling less than energetic," Itachi offered with a mysterious smile, as if he was showing her the beginnings of a private joke with her. He didn't explain further, however, and waved to the chef, an old man with a peaceful smile. He turned to look back at her expectantly.

Hinata bit her lip. Sitting down would cement her acceptance of this strange adventure. She looked to the left, and then the right, and there was only the dark, lonely streets with pockets of light from the streetlights in either direction. Hinata found herself reluctant to traverse it alone, to be alone, and so she braced herself. She stepped forward into the warm sphere of the ramen stall and took the seat next to Itachi. The scrape of the chair's legs seemed loud to her ears.

"Small vegetable miso ramen, please, Teuchi-san," the Uchiha ordered. Again, he looked expectantly over at her, and Hinata was beginning to rather detest that expression - sideways glance, face angled so the sharp line of his jaw was prominent, dark eyes calm and observant, and one arching eyebrow slightly higher than that other. It was an expression that challenged her, judged her, disassembled her every secret. And not Hyuuga Hinata, the failure, but simply the person who sat next to him.

That was more terrifying than simply being unseen.

For the sake of something to do, she perused the menu intently, eyes glazing over at the multitude of choices squeezed in neat row on the menu behind the stall owner.

"Um..."

Teuchi smiled slightly as he began cooking Itachi's

"Take your time, dear," he said. "New customers are always overwhelmed by our selection." She watched him drop the noodles in boiling broth. The rich, salty scent filled her, and her stomach sharply reminded of just how hungry she was.

She'd deviated this far from her plans, there was little use in trying to resist further.

"I'll take a small miso ramen, please."

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 29: House of Glass - 2**

 

* * *

 

 

It was a quick, silent meal. While Hinata maintained perfect table manners, her chopsticks moved just an iota faster than was considered elegant, a testament to her hunger. Itachi was beginning to feel quite badly about dallying to listen to Ibiki's strange theories. She'd skipped dinner for him, and it was more of a favor for him than for her.

The underlying guilt stilled his tongue as he escorted her back to the Hyuuga estates. There were several questions he wanted to ask about the circumstances surrounding her condition. The last impression he wanted to give her was that everything he did was to manipulatively gain her favor. While that was partial consideration to his actions, it was not the sole reason.

Itachi was realized that while he could garner his desired reactions from most people through firm guidance, he had to step back and let Hinata control the pace of their interactions. Any amount of push yielded wildly inconsistent behavior. It was as if she didn't know how to react at all.

Either way, it resulted in a silence that hung over them until they reached one of the Hyuuga side-gates. She removed a small key from her sleeve and unlocked it. With her hand on the handle, she smiled politely up at him.

"Thank you for the ramen. I've always heard it was delicious."

Itachi cocked his head slightly. "So you've never tried it before?"

She shook her head.

"Unfortunately, there was never an occasion for ramen."

Itachi had to chuckle at the serious way she explained herself, as if ramen were epitome of fine dining. Though it was a telling example of Hyuuga culture. And Uchiha culture.

"My first taste of ramen was when I first became a jounin-sensei," he admitted. "One of my students - Naruto, actually - insisted we celebrate their graduation."

"That sounds lovely," she commented. Itachi decided not to reveal that the only reason he'd agreed to Naruto's suggestion was due to the silent, angry disapproval emanating from his little brother. For all his titles and achievements, he was still a big brother who loved to tease the younger Uchiha.

"So I'm glad you enjoyed it." She gave him a shy little smile. "Good night, Hinata-san." She returned the courtesy with a bow and she stepped through the gate. She paused. Then Hinata peeked back over her shoulder.

"Don't be late tomorrow, Itachi-san," she added, a faint spark of mischievousness in her pale eyes.

Itachi chuckled. "I will try not to be, Hinata-san."

Then she closed the door behind her with a soft click.

Itachi turned and stared up at the sky. The cool night air cleared his head, making him feel lighter than he had felt all day.

He smiled slightly to himself and started back towards the Uchiha district.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 30: House of Glass - 3**

 

* * *

 

 

Hinata forced herself to walk away, even though her first instinct was to simply collapse against the gate door. The Hyuuga estate was a house of glass, fragile and exposed and everything forcibly disassembled, and her late return would already beg questions.

But she couldn't believe she'd said that to Uchiha Itachi. And he'd laughed.

The deviance from the routine was horrid, but that wasn't what scared her the most.

It was the scene of a wonderful novel, two people interacting without all the weight and clutter of the Hyuuga and the Uchiha and the strong and the weak. It wasn't her life. It was dream disguised as a nightmare. Hinata could feel her skittering pulse against her skin as she walked back to her room.

She slowed to a stop.

Hanabi was at her door. Again.

"Hanabi-sama, good evening," Hinata murmured. The younger sister stood up as she rolled her eyes at the name. She crossed her arms in what she thought to be an intimidating way.

"He took you to a ramen stand?!" she hissed.

Hinata's eyes widened. How did she know?

"Please lower your voice, Hanabi-sama. Please."

If anything, that only made the other girl raise her voice.

"A ramen stand?!" she reiterated, shaking her fists in indignation. Somehow, that was the only gesture that came off as elegant rather than childish.

At a loss at what to do, Hinata (politely) ushered Hanabi into her room and shut the door. The rooms themselves were thankfully impervious to the Byakugan.

"I saw you and Itachi when I was on my way back from training," Hanabi said, with all the righteous anger of a wounded pride. Was it really so shameful for Itachi to be seen in public with her?

"There nothing to warrant worry," Hinata soothed awkwardly. "It was just coincidence, and nothing like what you're imagining, Hanabi-sama."

The younger Hyuuga pinned her with a narrow-eyed glare. "So he didn't subject a member of the illustrious Hyuuga clan to a fast food stand that serves meals with the nutritional value of a dish towel after making her miss a perfectly viable and healthy dinner that she planned that happened to include her favorite dessert?" she hissed.

"Oh, um," Hinata said eloquently. Not only did she find herself impressed that Hanabi managed to spit out the entire phrase in one breath, the source of her sister's ire wasn't that she was caught with Itachi but because Itachi had the gall to take her to partake in "commoner's fare". Hinata could understand that. The Hyuuga cultivated their image with the fervor of a master gardener.

Hanabi raised an expectant eyebrow.

"I-I will be sure to convey this travesty to Itachi-san..." Hinata declared/asked. The Main family member waited. "...and make sure it will not happen again...?"

"Good," Hanabi nodded sagely. "Please try again, this time with more indignation. You're shorter than him, but you can still angle your head a little so you're looking down your nose at him. Just make sure you don't lean back so far he's getting a full view of your nostrils."

Hinata blinked at this strange turn of events. Hanabi, prodigy of the Hyuuga Main Family, heir to to the most powerful clan of Konoha, rising star and jounin candidate...was coaching her on how to act more...snobby?

This wasn't something she could evade behind a veil of servile etiquette, as Hanabi had every right to protect the reputation of the Hyuuga name. Jerkily, she obeyed, because while she didn't fear Hanabi, she was wary of that stubborn glint in her little sister's eyes.

But why now?

Through the fog of bewildered confusion, Hinata couldn't help but feel that it was all Itachi's fault.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 31: House of Glass - 4**

 

* * *

 

 

Despite being caught in his thoughts, Itachi waited until Hinata had entered the house before he looked up.

"It is very rude to spy on a comrade like that," he said as he perused a suspicious patch of shadows in the trees. "Rokudaime-sama."

What was with his students and their recent penchant for hiding in foliage? If he also found Sakura loitering in a tree, Itachi was going schedule appointments for them with Ibiki.

Purely out of concern for his team, of course.

"Aw, Itachi-sensei, you're no fun!" Naruto's long frame dropped soundlessly to the ground. He was easily the biggest of their group - big body, big dreams, and even bigger heart - and to Sasuke's chagrin, towered over the Uchiha by at least half a head. This included the scarce inches his little brother's preferred hairstyle afforded him. Naruto moved with a loping grace that was more wolf than fox as he bounded up to Itachi and his trademark grin was stretched wide across his tan face. Ever since his bout of training with Gai and Lee, his smile seemed to gleam even in the dim lighting. "Just wanted to see what she looked like."

Why did everyone have such a sudden curiosity regarding Hinata? It wasn't the first time some strange puzzle or another caught his interest. Admittedly, Hinata was far more attractive than most, but that wasn't saying much since his previous obsession had been with the chakra-enhancing properties of a rare type of fungus. Team 7 had poked fun at him for months due to the fungus's rather...phallic...shape.

"Why would Hinata-san's appearance have any relevance?"

Naruto laughed nervously. "Well, Sasuke gets automatic sibling-privileges to these things, and I approve and...well..." The future Hokage rubbed the back of his head and smiled like a shy school-boy. For all of Naruto's accomplishments and the people in his life, the Kyuubi-vessel still had his moments of self-doubt, especially when it came to his place in the Team 7 family.

Itachi rested his hand on Naruto's head, even though now he had to reach up to do so.

"My foolish brother receives no more rights than you do in regards to such situations," he reminded Naruto firmly. Then his face darkened. "Though his rights to much of anything are in great danger of being reduced given the lies he's been spewing. What has Sasuke been telling you?"

Naruto brightened, his earlier insecurity forgotten. It always amused Itachi that even though the blond didn't have a malicious bone in his body, Naruto always enjoyed ratting his teammate out to Itachi.

"Sasuke says that you've been going to see this girl called Hyuuga Hinata. He says she'd really pretty and shy and not at all like Sakura-chan," - given the evil little grin on Naruto's face, Itachi inferred this was point in the conversation where the medic kicked Sasuke into a wall - " and that you're acting like the Ero-sennin."

Itachi felt an eye twitch.

"Jiraiya?" he questioned warningly. "That Ero-sennin?"

Naruto shrugged. Don't kill the messenger.

"And yet you believed him," Itachi added with a raised eyebrow. His aura began to darken forebodingly. The blond's smile began to reveal a tinge of nervousness.

"I'm only confirming Sasuke's hypothesis with factual evidence just like you taught me, Itachi-sensei! And I've clearly seen enough to disprove his hypothesis so thankyouandI'llseeyoulater!"

Naruto teleported away with a grin that showed too many teeth to be considered joyous.

His aura no longer roiling with displeasure, Itachi stared at the empty spot where the Rokudaime had once occupied.

He had to chuckle.

Team 7 will always be his cute little students.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 32: House of Glass - 5**

 

* * *

 

 

"You should start using the Sharingan on me."

Itachi paused, hand half-raised in the middle of a seal. Hinata faced him with a set expression on her face, pale yet determined. The idea of opening her mind even more to him was uncomfortable at best, but she had decided it was time after several days of deliberation.

The simple, insignificant action of eating ramen with Itachi had changed a fundamental part of their relationship. It wasn't just that she'd worked up the courage to joke with him, but as Hanabi was trying to teach her strange things, it struck Hinata that despite all her misgivings, she trusted Itachi.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Most people regarded Hinata as a weak-willed pushover, and most of the time, they were correct. But that was mainly because she hated confrontation, and it wasn't worth the trouble to fight. When she truly didn't want to do something, the stubborn Hyuuga blood flowed just as strongly in her veins as in any other clansman.

She'd trusted Itachi enough to step outside the realm of their routine together. Even with her lack of knowledge in the field, Hinata could tell that Itachi was running out of ways to test normal genjutsu, as he was merely affirming everything that she'd told him. The real discovery lay in the usage of the Sharingan, and ultimately, the Mangekyou.

She just nodded.

"I will start small. It is well known to most people that the Uchiha have the Sharingan. The nature of my family bloodline goes beyond simple bending of the senses - the Sharingan integrates itself into the memory facility of the target, allowing for a better "hold", which is why the Sharingan enhances genjutsu so well. Your reaction to non-Sharingan genjutsu is actually very similar to most ninja's interaction with Sharingan genjutsu."

Once again, Hinata was sorely reminded of how knowledgeable Itachi was. Somehow, no one had made this connection before, and it made such wonderful sense.

"Furthermore, what do you know of the Mangekyou Sharingan?"

Hinata blinked, surprised that Itachi could so casually mention the notorious Mangekyou. It wasn't common knowledge, but available to the ninja clans in the aftermath of the Uchiha scandal from a decade ago.

"From what I've heard, it seems to be a more powerful version of the Sharingan, a higher level."

"Essentially, yes. While the Sharingan takes advantage of the natural tendencies of the mind, the Mangekyou overtakes everything. You could say it acts like the bridge between fantasy and reality. Many of the techniques use the mind as the trigger, but in actuality..."

The more he spoke, the more nervous Hinata began to get. While she'd decided to trust Itachi within the boundaries of their agreement, the Uchiha seemed to have decided that she was his new confidante, given the amount of information he was willing to divulge.

"Why are you telling me this?" she blurted out.

Itachi regarded her for a moment. "You don't want to understand?" He seemed almost hurt that she didn't share the same enthusiasm for his lecture.

Hinata shook her head quickly, ducking down so her bangs hid her face. It was a good thing the Uchiha heir was not the type of person for blatant manipulation using his good looks. Even the barest hint of kicked-puppy-dog-eyes was enough to make her blush...Hinata didn't want to think of the consequences if he'd ever decided to use that expression to the fullest.

"Hinata-san?"

She clasped her hands, mentally urging her cardiovascular system to return to normal.

"Of course I do," she whispered. The endorphins in her veins made her overly bold and she continued. "I'm just really happy you're explaining it to me. Others just regard me as the subject for experimentation. Most people don't bother clarifying what's happening to the guinea pig."

There was pause, and Hinata knew she'd said too much. She hated dumping her problems on other people, because it always made them uncomfortable, and yet this was what she was doing to Itachi.

She looked up to apologize.

"I'm s-"

Itachi looked thoughtful. "Now that you mention it, you do act very much like the aforementioned creature at times."

"I meant it metaphorically," she said hesitantly, not sure if she should be laughing or embarrassed.

"But I meant it literally."

Hinata stared at him. His expression remained neutral as he reached for her. She watched his hand, eyes crossing slightly before she glanced at him curiously.

His index and middle fingers were loosely extended...what kind of seal was -

Then he poked her in the forehead. She muffled a squeak of surprise.

"Guinea pig," he declared, a hint of a triumphant smirk playing at his lips.

Despite her best efforts to be affronted by his rudeness, she couldn't help but blush over his (very successful) attempt at diverting her depressing thoughts.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 33: House of Glass - 6**

 

* * *

 

 

Hinata had a difficult time keeping the smile from her face as she reviewed her plans for dinner at the Hyuuga estate. It really shouldn't be that big of a deal, but she got the sense that Itachi's teasing was how he showed his affection. To think that he thought so well of her...

Hinata was a deficient shinobi, but she wasn't dumb. She saw the careful way the Hyuuga (and in parallel, Konoha) treated their geniuses. Hanabi and Neji were isolated by walls of everyone else's idea of them, and were held to the standards of small adults. Their peers shied away from them, enclosing them in a wide circle of space. Any attempts to broach this distance was met with shocked, almost disgusted, stares from everyone else.

Hinata had no doubts it was just as lonely as her own status - pariah or prodigy, the perceptions of everyone else corralled them.

Itachi's only tie to a normal childhood was likely a petulant little brother who didn't give a damn what or who his big brother was if he wouldn't play with him.

The contrast between the Uchiha brothers' relationship and her own with Hanabi was jarring. For the Uchiha, the younger struggled to escape the shadow of the elder, and yet they were able to remain close due to the stubborn personality of the little brother. For the Hyuuga, it was the eldest that was caught in the shadow of the younger, and for that tragedy, the sisters only drifted further and further apart due to the stubborn personality of the elder sister.

Hinata was well aware that Hanabi was still trying to cling a long-lost ideal of sisterhood, but self-consciousness always made it impossible for her to return the gesture. Just being the same room with the younger girl and knowing that someone could find out made Hinata nervous. Wouldn't want to corrupt Hanabi, after all. 

The disheartening turn of her thoughts made Hinata sigh, though it didn't detract from the warm glow of her memories.

"Hinata. My office." Hiashi stood at the door to the kitchen, the beginnings of a frown on his features.

"H-Hyuuga-sama," she muttered in deference. She shuffled after him, almost running to keep up with the elegant strides of her father's much longer legs, and followed him into his office. The urgency in his tone prompted her to slide the door shut behind her. She leaned back against the frame for a moment, before she gathered her courage and stepped forward with a bow. "What did you require me for?"

Hiashi seated himself at his desk, pale eyes measuring her with harsh honesty.

"It has been brought to my attention that Hanabi has been visiting the Branch wing many times in the recent weeks. People take notice."

"I'm sorry, Hyuuga-sama. I will make sure to warn her to-"

"And where has she been going?" Hiashi raised an eyebrow questioningly, though both of them knew where Hanabi went. But to word it out loud was an admission of guilt. Hinata bit the inside of her mouth until she tasted blood, bright and coppery.

"I can't tell you."

"Can't?" Hiashi echoed. "That is an unacceptable answer. Tell me where."

Hinata shook her head, fear suddenly gripping her with icy claws.

Hiashi's pale eyes began to glow crimson, and when he opened his mouth to speak, his teeth had transformed into fangs.

The room went dark.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 34: House of Glass - 7**

 

* * *

 

 

"Hinata!"

She opened her eyes with a sobbing gasp. Itachi steadied her by the upper arms as she slumped forward. Her knuckles were white as she clutched at the fabric of near his elbows.

While there had been none of the strange pulling of his chakra, he could almost feel the warping of his own jutsu inside her. Even though he'd expected something like this, it was shocking to see the fear that rippled across her face, like the surface of a calm lake torn by the intrusion of a large boulder.

He'd hated it. He'd torn down greater minds for lesser reasons, yet this sickened him more than the gruesome effects he'd wrought on previous opponents. He couldn't make himself hold it more than a few seconds.

Maybe they should just stop this.

Yet, Itachi could only bite back his doubts and let Hinata hold onto him until the trembling of her hands was no longer visible.

"What did you see?" he asked the top of her bowed head softly. She looked up with a surprisingly composed expression on her face.

"My father," she reported. "We were playing a game of hide and seek before he grew fangs." She made the motion of a smile, though it didn't quite warm her eyes the way the real ones did. The lighthearted words almost fooled Itachi, but more than anyone else, he knew the asphyxiating politics of a noble clan, and had to wonder how much she was glossing over what really occurred in her mind.

He found himself afraid to dig for that answer, though the implications of what she said quickly scattered from his mind when Itachi realized how close Hinata was as she peered up at him with clear, lavender eyes. The dark frame of her hair only made them seem larger and beguiling - he couldn't seem to look away and was drawn forward almost against his better logic. He'd never noticed just how lovely her lashes seemed against the paleness of her pupils and skin (he'd noticed, but never just  _how_ lovely).

Did she cast a genjutsu on him?

Itachi stopped himself with a jerk. What were they doing? Moments after him, Hinata seemed to realize the intimacy of their position and bright red colored her cheeks as she delicately extricated herself.

"I...think that's enough for today," he said, almost flustered by the strange effects of today's experiment. "I need to go back and reanalyse the side effects of using the Sharingan. Please let me know if there are any nightmares or other side effects." She nodded.

Dutifully, he walked her back to her favored side gate, thought the silence was worse than when they'd first started this agreement.

"Good night," he said stiltedly.

"Good night," she replied in kind, barely able to look at him. The door shut behind her with a click. Itachi stared at where she had stood, lost in thought.

More and more, he was inclined to believe that Hinata's "condition" wasn't a weakness, but an unusual and powerful ability. Normal victims fell helpless to the Sharingan, yet here was a girl who could warp the effects of his genjutsu without even realizing what she was doing. Even more admirable was how gracefully she bore a noble clan's displeasure.

Was her clan so deeply entrenched in their traditions that they couldn't see the possibilities?

The Hyuuga compound was a strange place. It's occupants were blessed with the vision to see all, and for that, they didn't seem to notice very much at all. When there was too much on display, Itachi concluded, people often forgot to see what they were looking at in the first place.


	6. A Missing Piece

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there are Mysterious Things hinted at. And meddling courtesy of Team 7.

**Chapter 35: A Missing Piece - 1**

 

* * *

 

Itachi was back on rotation for active duty.

Hinata should be enjoying her vacation. There was no longer the wariness hovering at the back of her mind. She didn't need to worry about Itachi prying deeper and deeper into her subconscious. Or staring at her as if he could understand every little part of her.

Something had changed between them the day he first experimented with the Sharingan. Maybe it was the personal tone of her nightmares resulting from his bloodline limit, but Hinata saw the flicker of realization in his dark eyes after she'd woken up. Itachi had noticed something very important, but he remained politely mute and Hinata could only hope it wasn't because it wasn't something horrible.

She was scared to ask.

Hinata had thought he'd make the same amount of progress that all the other quacks had made - negligible - but it was a lot harder to keep him at bay when Itachi hardly seemed to care that she was a Hyuuga.

She had felt nothing but relief when he'd cancelled their meetings until he returned.

But the first day of her break, Hinata found herself automatically packing her things after dinner. She was in the process of leaving her room when she caught herself wondering which experiments she and Itachi would do today.

Hinata quickly stepped backwards into her room and slid the door shut. She stared at the uniform panels of her door, marveling at how easily that pattern would be ruined with one slash of a kunai. But was she upset that she'd looked forward to breaking an old routine, or that she was breaking a new one? It made her head hurt.

A knock interrupted her spiraling musings.

"Hinata?"

"Neji!" She opened the door again with a wide smile. "You're back."

Her cousin frowned slightly as he scanned her outfit, eyes lingering on the shawl over her shoulders. "Where are you going?"

Something about the knowing way he asked her made Hinata pause.

"Nowhere," she said truthfully. Why did she feel so sad when she admitted that? "I just wanted see how this shawl felt."

It was a practical enough reason, and Neji nodded in understanding after a moment. "You only need to ask if you want a new shawl."

"I don't believe in waste," Hinata hedged. "Are you hungry? I can fix something for you."

Neji shook his head, both in response to her question and the clumsy change of subject. "Hanabi-sama told me that you've been seeing Uchiha Itachi."

"Hanabi-sama enjoys gossip, and most likely made it sound like much more than a mere interest in my condition."

Neji tilted his head slightly. "I had not expected for you to admit that so easily. So this is a frequent occurrence?"

Hinata shook her head quickly. "No. No. Of course not."

Neji didn't believe her, but he didn't press for more. She'd regressed back to avoiding Hanabi but there was no doubt that her little sister knew all the details. Probably more than Hinata herself knew.

Instead, Neji twisted his lips into a reluctant smile. "I'm glad you seem happier than back when I left for my rotation," he admitted. "Whatever is going on with Uchiha, it seems to be to your benefit."

Hinata stared up at him in surprise, and this time, Neji's half-smile grew into a full-blown smirk.

"It was would be a little hypocritical of me to demand that you live in a cage and never interact with anyone else in the village. That Uchiha is hardly the worst thing to happen to you." Then all trace of good humor dropped off her cousin's face. "Though I can't say the same for the younger of those two...if either of them hurt you in any way..."

A burst of warmth filled Hinata and she smiled shyly. Normally, she felt uncomfortable and undeserving of Neji's concern, but today, it wasn't a burden, but a gift.

What had changed?

"I'll be okay," she said, surprising herself with the truth in her words. "I'm going to be okay."

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 36: A Missing Piece - 2**

 

* * *

 

It was a mission much like any other.

In between the waiting and waiting, there was a lot more waiting. Being a ninja wasn't half so glorious as the storybooks made it seem, since it was much easier to pass the time in fantasy than in actuality. After spending three days crouching in the grass with the mosquitos for his first assassination mission, the novelty had run out very quickly, right along with his bug spray medicine.

Yet again, Itachi thought of how comfortable his own bed was. Or even sitting in the field with Hinata. Anything surpassed this.

He sighed softly, barely more than a simple exhalation through the nose.

"I never thought there would be the day I would witness Itachi-sensei pining."

Itachi looked up at the tree that offered him such paltry shade. Sakura was seated on a low branch, swinging her legs in a girlish way that belied her jounin status. But nothing of her image matched the winning smile of a gossip-monger prying for dirt.

Maybe he needed to make that appointment with Ibiki after all.

"A guilty conscience seeking absolution?" he asked. Sakura scowled, well aware of the fact that he was referring to her girlhood crushes and consequential bouts of whining to her sensei. And neither of them will ever talk about that phase when she got it into her head that the elder could make a less hostile replacement for the younger brother.

"I'm just observing," she huffed, clearly undeterred by his attempt at redirection. "The great Uchiha Itachi doesn't sigh lightly."

"Perhaps not," he said. "Though I only started sighing after passing you and your teammates."

While veiled insults and threats worked for Sasuke and Naruto, dealing with Sakura always required a gentler manner. Not because of any sort of sexist misconceptions of weakness, but a more primal caution regarding someone who possessed the frightening combination both a horrid temper and inhuman strength. (Not that he regretted coercing Tsunade into taking Sakura under her wing. Itachi prided himself in being unfettered by his ego. In the aftermath of the Sound attack, Team 7 wasn't one he could successfully manage while juggling additional responsibilities in tracking down Orochimaru.)

He didn't need to look to know that Sakura was sticking her tongue out at him.

"Mean," she declared. "I'm just trying to catch up with my beloved teacher like a good little student. Who was it that taught us that we stand stronger in harmony than in disarray?"

"Irrelevant," Itachi dismissed. "You are twisting my words as an excuse to dig for gossip."

"A little bit," she admitted truthfully. "But I haven't seen Hinata since my Academy days, but she's always treated everyone kindly. I've wondered what happened to her since graduation. She isn't on the ninja roster - but she was ranked first among the kunoichi in our class, regardless of family ties."

Itachi glanced at Sakura, who was watching him with intelligent jade eyes. Clearly, she had noticed the discrepancy. Despite remaining largely outside social intricacies of the noble clans, the medic nin was too smart not to pick up a few things after having representatives from both the Namikaze and the Uchiha clans on her genin team.

"She is not the roster because she didn't pass the genin exam," he said quietly. "That is all I can confirm for you." Whether the rumors were true or not, Itachi found himself oddly protective.

"Because I would have never guessed that one on my own," Sakura said sarcastically, though with no venom.

She fell silent too easily. Itachi waited, wary of the sly glint forming in her eyes. "But it's telling how careful you are protect her reputation...now the reason why you are such good buddies with Tsunade-shishou comes to light."

Then she grinned in a positively evil way.

"I never pegged you as a breast man, Itachi-sensei."

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 37: A Missing Piece - 3**

 

* * *

 

 

It was already a month in, and even though Hinata was well aware of the source of her problem, she still found herself antsy after dinner. After several minutes of reluctant pacing in her room, Hinata finally gave in and threw on her shawl.

"I'm going out for a walk," she informed Neji when he gave her a questioning look as she passed through the courtyard.

Neji looked like he wanted to protest, but after a beat, he merely nodded and returned to his kata. It was the fifth set the most difficult eight.

Hyuuga liked to work in eights. Sometimes, Hinata had the sneaky suspicion that it was due to completely superficial reasons - the numeral eight resembled an infinity sign. And if there was something the Hyuuga liked more than looking down on others with practiced disdain, it was forcing obscure symbolism on inane subjects.

As any marginally acceptable ex-heir, Hinata had all Jyuuken kata committed to memory, even if she could only successfully complete about half of them. She'd actually been the best at learning the theory, earning begrudging praise from the surly elder who oversaw her tutoring. But her body, and eventually, her mind, both failed her.

It was fate, as Neji used to say. He'd stopped with this mantra some years back, though Hinata secretly still continued it for him out of the belief that he had a great future ahead of him and she wouldn't accept any other outcome. As for her own future, however...

She wondered what Itachi would think about such a depressing thought pattern.

Hinata quickly shook her head at her silliness. She had stopped caring of others' opinions of her, for therein only lay the path to more disappointment. Her goal was to get return back to the comfortable, quiet existence of she'd carved out for herself after this nonsense with Itachi was over. She was a curiosity, nothing more. She needed to prepare herself for the eventuality of her novelty wearing off.

Hinata ignored the twinge in her chest at the thought of going back to a place without the steady presence of Itachi by her side.

She wandered through the village, drinking in the sights. Eventually, she smelled the salty hint of ramen broth and looked up in surprise. Her feet had directed her to Ichiraku Ramen. The stall was mostly empty now that the dinner rush was past, but a single occupant still lingered.

Hinata stared.

Naruto looked up, grinned, and waved almost shyly - for him, anyways. It was only then she finally made the connection between the scrawny, scrappy blonde who was in her Academy class for a few short weeks and the tall, confident leader who will lead their village.

She wasn't surprised, though Hinata was no longer sure if it was due to her belief in his teacher or in him. Either way, she found herself smiling slightly as she bowed.

"Rokudaime-sama," she greeted. "Good evening."

He studied her and suddenly scowled. "You're late, Bastard!"

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 38: A Missing Piece - 4**

* * *

  

Hinata fidgeted, carefully keeping her gaze lowered on her place setting. She hadn't had the chance to order anything yet. She couldn't help but feel distinctly betrayed by Teuchi and Ayame's convenient disappearance to the back supply room, leaving the Hyuuga stranded between the feuding teammates who sat on either side of her.

"The pork miso is better, Bastard," Naruto gritted out. "You're just too proud to admit it."

"Dead-last, your taste buds are not refined enough to comprehend that the vegetable miso is clearly better," Sasuke snapped back.

"Vegetables," Naruto sneered with disgust.

"Pork," Sasuke countered, with just as much disdain.

They leaned forward, trying to stare the other down. Hinata squeaked, ducking so she wouldn't be crushed.

"Uh...excuse me, Rokudaime-sama and Uchiha-san...could you please...?" she whispered desperately. They turned stared at her surprise, as if they'd forgotten that she was there at all.

How rude.

"It's Naruto and Bastard," Naruto said abruptly. He shot Sasuke a sour look, which the Uchiha returned with a lifted brow. Several more expressions flitted between them in a silent argument, but Hinata found it worrisome that the two of them ended with eerily matching expressions of determined curiosity.

"So, Hinata-chan, what do you think of our sensei?" Naruto asked abruptly.

"He's not being weird, is he?" Sasuke added. "Aniki's just very focused, so if he's offended you, it's not intentional."

"Um, he's okay. And I don't think he's weird," Hinata said faintly, staring at the two ninja with a growing sense of unease.

"Good, good. What do you mean by 'okay'? As in 'not bad but not good' or as in 'I'm secretly in love with him but am too proper to admit anything and am not unopposed to a further, deeper, more meaningful relationship'?" Naruto pressed. Hinata blinked, fighting the growing blush as she struggled to comprehend the two choices the blonde offered her.

Sasuke answered for her by throwing several soy sauce bottles at Naruto's head. "The idiot means to ask if you have any complaints about Itachi that we could possibly help address for a better experience."

In the meantime, Naruto had managed to save all the condiments, and return them to their rightful places. She didn't miss the glare he gave Sasuke promising later retribution, but they were teammates, as he jumped in without missing a beat. "Yeah, yeah. Team 7 takes pride in customer service. Only a 0.1 percent return rate - cat chasing is not our forte, unfortunately."

What were these two trying to sell?

The sales duo suddenly paled, and Hinata thought she could see sweat beading Naruto's forehead.

"I just remember I have a very important thing that I should be at right now," Sasuke said quickly.

"Me too! Me too!" Naruto muttered.

They disappeared with in a swirl of leaves. Yet again, Hinata felt that sense of indignant betrayal - Naruto was the only one who had managed to order anything - until she turned around and only bright, warm joy filled her senses.

Itachi was back.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 39: A Missing Piece - 5**

 

* * *

 

He wasn't supposed to be back for another two months. She hurriedly scanned him. Fortunately, he only looked tired, but uninjured. The cruel hand that Hinata didn't even realize had gripped her nerves finally relaxed.

"I'm glad you are safe," Hinata finally said. Itachi stared at her for a moment, before he sighed and took the seat that Sasuke had vacated.

"My students are idiots who do not understand boundaries," he murmured apologetically. Hinata stifled a small giggle.

"They are earnest and good," she said softly. "You taught them well."

The corner of Itachi's mouth lifted, though it quickly fell back to a slight frown. "What were they talking to you about?"

"Return percentages."

Itachi studied her suspiciously. "Of what?"

"Missions." Still giddy from the sudden rush of relief over his wellbeing, Hinata found herself purposely answering in an indirect manner. She had to repress the ridiculous urge to dance around and giggle like a maniac. And even worse, the notion of acting like Hikaru, her boy-crazy cousin, was bubbling through her veins.

Itachi gave her another strange look. "They were talking about cat-chasing," she added, feeling guilty for being difficult.

"I think they were feeling nostalgic of old times," he said cryptically, though the aura around him darkened in a threatening manner. Then he looked up and smiled faintly. "Please don't mind their antics."

"Oh, okay."

They lapsed into an awkward lull. Fortunately, Teuchi and Ayame finally gathered the courage to emerge from their hiding spot and take orders. They ate in silence until Itachi abruptly asked:

"How are your nightmares?"

Hinata nearly dropped her chopsticks as she fumbled for a semblance of poise. Why did a simple question suddenly seem that much more significant? He'd asked the same thing so many times before, but his absence seemed to have desensitized her. The sudden shift back was overwhelming. She could feel her cheeks burning.

Everything was wrong with her and yet everything felt right, like the tumblers of a lock clicking into place.

"Uh...nothing too bad," she managed. "Just residual echoes."

Itachi only nodded.

He was acting strangely too. Normally, he'd launch into another theory or detailed explanation and his words would soothe her nerves. The silence jangled between them like over-bright coins, gaudy and too, too much. Fear filled her mouth with the taste of metal.

Did he want to stop? Did he find something else more interesting?

"Despite that, I missed...the experiments," she admitted.

 _Please don't leave me again_.

This time, it would hurt far worse than any of those others who only sought out her father's approval.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 40: A Missing Piece - 6**

 

* * *

 

 

Itachi knew there will be questions. There were already too many hypotheses regarding his abrupt request to defer his next mission by a day. He finished his current mission in record time, breaking his own by nearly 24 hours. He listed "unusual circumstances" the mission report for the reason of their speed, and Sakura only gave him an understanding look even though she couldn't possibly understand.

Nightmares changed people, after all.

He hadn't let himself succumb to a bad dream in years. A common problem with genjutsu users was letting the trappings of their own mind overwhelm them. Ruthless compartmentalization and regular meditation fixed that, both of which Itachi was a master of.

But he hadn't been prepared for the dream to be unrelated to combat. Instead, it was only the suffocating feeling of helplessness, as he heard her crying for help. Something was chasing her, but he couldn't even see or move or do anything at all. Even worse, her distress disturbed him on such a level that made it hard to think straight. The vague impressions he'd felt from her mind during their experiments rushed forward, swallowing him whole.

He woke up tense and pale, with hardly a hitch in his breath. But even that was a stark difference to the way he would normally ghost from deep slumber to sharp awareness in moments. It was the civilian equivalent of screaming and flailing blindly against the sheets.

Sakura noticed.

"We can finish early," she suggested, wisely saying no more on the subject. Itachi generously decided to halve her impending time with Ibiki. (And transfer it to other two scoundrels on her team when he discovered them tag-teaming Hinata. Return percentages, his foot.)

But Itachi quickly forgot about the rest of Team 7 as he studied Hinata. The dark circles were not too noticeable and she even giggled over the ridiculous actions of his students. But it wasn't relief he felt, but only a cold loneliness that made the world seem a little more gray. His panic was meaningless. She was fine without him.

So when Hinata admitted that she'd missed the experiments, implying that she'd missed him as well, Itachi let the lead ball weighing in his stomach melt away.

"Me too," he replied.

She smiled, turning back to her ramen in embarrassment.

He wondered if it was the warm lighting of Ichiraku, or if he had never noticed just how lovely she was.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 41: A Missing Piece - 7**

 

* * *

 

He had his moment of weakness, but he was still a soldier of Konoha. Itachi efficiently finished his rotation on time despite the delay. And now that he was aware of that Hinata's nightmares could affect him too, the Uchiha was careful to purge the darkness from his mind before he slept.

In the long moments between the burst of action, crouching in the shadows or counting the bodies, he pinpointed the reason for his unease regarding Hinata.

"Your chakra is actually very potent," he informed Hinata at their very next meeting two months later. She was wearing a lavender kimono with deep violet and green designs, the very visage of spring. Itachi found himself distracted by the contrast of her hair against the pale color, like a stroke of ink on paper.

She gave him a confused look, and he could almost hear her thinking, "why would that matter if I can't use it?".

"There is something that doesn't add up," Itachi explained. "Your Academy class rank was at the top. You move with the grace of someone who is highly capable, and your weakness for genjutsu is not worse than many who have passed. Your abilities are like more than sufficient for genin, even chuunin if you continued." He didn't need to voice the real question.

Why did she not pass the genin exam?

Hinata bowed her head. Itachi wondered if he had stepped too far, said too much. But then she looked up with a determined set to her shoulders.

"I was the one who asked Kurenai-san to fail me."

He opened his mouth to ask 'Why', but he realized he already understood. He couldn't organize her reasons in words, but he understood the fierce gleam in her eyes. Dropping out of the ninja track had been her choice, all along. She was protecting something, in her own way. Maybe it was her family's reputation, maybe it was her teacher's safety, maybe it was the village...

Maybe it was her own sanity.

The silence pulled between them like gossamer threads of spider silk, impossibly strong in potential yet still so fragile. He couldn't fathom the kind of steely resolve to make such a decision in their world, where a clan heir was only worth the expectations they exceeded.

Finally, Itachi said: "You are stronger than you realize."

She flinched as if he'd struck her. These were familiar words to her, and at one point, she had believed them. Only then could such a simple phrase hurt her so.

Itachi began to wonder.

It was not the first time he'd offered such a truth, and memories of  _that_  time resurfaced.


	7. Secrets of a Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a long-ass flashback and Itachi finds a reason (any reason is good) to not go through with some Very Bad Decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ages are different from canon. Yes.  
> Itachi's ANBU mask is the Weasel. Yes. (Got it from Naruto wiki)

**Chapter 42: Secrets in a Memory - 1**

 

* * *

 

Hinata was only nine, still a child by any standard, when she began to truly accept her failings.

The Branch family had made her favorite dish for lunch today, and Hinata wanted to thank them personally. While Tsuru's tongue was sharp, the woman always treated Hinata with a marked fondness.

She pass Neji on her way. She slowed, as if the sheer weight of his hatred made it difficult for her to move. He glared. She jerked as if electrocuted and ran the rest of the way to the kitchens.

"...doing well at the Academy," someone was saying as she neared the open door. Currently, Neji and herself were the only Hyuuga in the Academy, though there were rumors that Hanabi would be allowed in early. Hinata knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but she stopped outside the door and matched her chakra to her surroundings. It was far easier inside the Hyuuga buildings, since her chakra already belonged there. It was one of her talents, though she knew it was a useless talent for a future heir who needed to be able to command attention.

"Hanabi-sama will also do well. And what happens when Hinata-sama becomes genin and takes missions? Enemy nin won't be so considerate as to use only their most harmless genjutsu against her. To ask such a thing of Iruka-sensei only to save face before the children of the noble clans...the council is oversaturated with idi-"

"Tsuru-san!" the other shushed the Branch clan head and they were reduced to hissing whispers.

But Hinata had heard enough. She backed away from the door, gratitude long forgotten. Suddenly, the neat, symmetrical halls of the Hyuuga seemed more like a prison than a home.

She'd thought she was getting better. Her nightmare no longer seemed so bad, and she didn't wake up so often with her throat raw and her hands scored with scratches. Maybe the council elders were still glaring because they hadn't noticed her improvement yet.

What a fool she was.

She was still a shame to her clan.

She turned around and ran. She ran and ran until she reached the back fields of the Academy. Her chest was painfully tight and she let herself collapse into a seated position on the ground. She took in the view before her, trying to calm the little squeaking hitches in her breath.

The world seemed to mock her. The sky was so perfect a blue it was impossible to focus on it, and inevitably, the eye skittered to other objects like the soft puffs of clouds. They gathered in herds, like sheep fenced in her view by the lush branches.

It was too perfect. A delusion.

Hinata hugged her shins and hid her face in her knees, shaking from the effort of keeping back her tears.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 43: Secrets in a Memory - 2**

 

* * *

 

 

 

He was only fourteen, just on the cusp of adulthood, when he received the order.

Itachi hated Danzo when the old man handed him the details in a folded piece of paper like he was sharing no more than a recipe for onigiri. But the Uchiha only felt numb as he unfolded it.

He had moments before the paper between his fingers burst into flames, but the words were already burned into his mind.

_Sunset tonight. Leave the boy._

The extermination of his clan didn't even warrant a formal mission scroll. They didn't even get names. Nameless, faceless, and ultimately, lifeless.

It seemed wrong that struggle of the past few years was encompassed in only five words. It didn't reflect his and the Sandaime's efforts to quell the rebellion that boiled under the surface, their pleas falling to silence ears. It didn't reflect Shisui's last moments, when he clutched Itachi's shoulder with a blood-stained hand as he blinded himself with the other and entrusted his remaining Sharingan to him.

It didn't reflect Shisui's final lesson on what made a true shinobi: self-sacrifice. A true shinobi protected peace from the shadows - nameless, faceless, and ultimately, lifeless. Everything was given to peace. Such was his duty.

"It is the only way to ensure the peace of Konoha, Weasel," Danzo said.

"I understand," Itachi said flatly. His ANBU mask may as well be his face, given how frozen he felt. The council member nodded and dismissed him with a wave. Itachi teleported away, without much thought towards his destination.

He found himself at the Academy, in the back training field. It was empty at this time of day, as the students were inside for their last class. Sasuke was probably trying not to doze off at his desk, bored out of his mind. His little brother was highly talented, but Itachi would never tell him outright because Sasuke was also prone to an enormous ego. Thank goodness he had a hearty rivalry with Naruto.

Slowly, Itachi began to walk around the circumference of the dusty area. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the leaves of the tall trees lining the edge. He let his eyes fall half-closed, taking in the sensation of the flashes of sun between the shadows on his face. Cool and warmth and cool again, such a simple feeling that everyone took granted.

He wondered how they will die. After all, a person can only be truly be measured in that moment before their death. These were the clan members he knew his whole life - his cousins that he grew up with, the uncles and aunts who cooed over him and pinched his cheeks, the older generation with their wrinkled smiles and endless, overblown tales of their past, and his parents, strict and stern and steadfast in their love and concern.

And of course there was his brother, his foolish, foolish little brother, with his gap-toothed smiles and persistent demands for training so he could stand equal to his hero.

Itachi didn't feel like a hero.

Tonight, everything will shatter irreparably.

His chest hurt.

He heard a sob.

Itachi look down, shocked. In his haze, he had not sensed the presence of another individual.

It was a little girl, around Sasuke's age, curled up with her face hidden by her bent knees.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 44: Secrets of a Memory - 3**

* * *

 

 

 

"You should be in class," someone said kindly. Even though his voice was still the light tenor of a boy, he sounded so tired and old. Despite the chastisement, she felt an immediate rapport with the boy with the weary voice.

But Hinata didn't lift her head. If he didn't know who she was, he won't know exactly how shameful she really was.

"I can't," she admitted softly.

Hinata heard him sit next to her. There was the soft clank of kunai. She peeked at him through the crook of her elbows with shock. He sounded so young, yet he was wearing the uniform of an ANBU captain! He was looking forward, so she couldn't get a clear glimpse of his mask, but it resembled some sort of rodent. Maybe a mouse?

Suddenly, she felt that much smaller. There were so many strong ninja in Konoha, and she couldn't even handle a basic genjutsu put on her.

"Why?" Mouse (as he was now dubbed in Hinata's mind) asked gently. Hinata remained silent. "Will you tell me?" he asked.

"I'm an embarrassment because I'm weak," she whispered reluctantly and closed her eyes. More hot tears welled from her eyes, pooling where her cheeks touched her knees. Then every doubt and hurt she had repressed came spilling out, despite her worsening stutter as her sobs grew stronger. He didn't know her identity anyways. "No matter how I train, my little sister is always b-better than me. She always beats me in spars. Father doesn't say anything but I know he's sad and I can't make him p-proud like she can and sometimes I just h-hate them all so m-much..." The rest of her words became a garbled sob.

There was pause before Mouse spoke again. "If you hate them, why do you try to please them?"

"Because th-they're my family, m-my clan," Hinata choked out. It difficult to speak with the enormous lump in her throat, but somehow she felt it was important clarify that to Mouse. "And I n-need to be...be strong so I c-can protect them."

"You can protect Konoha in more than one way," he offered after another long pause.

Sweet and polite as she was, Hinata was still a nine-year-old-girl in need of comfort. And the person offering comfort was proving to be phenomenally bad at it.

She began crying harder.

"But I can't p-protect my family if I'm not strong!" she wailed. "Konoha isn't K-Konoha without them! You're a...a stupid ANBU!"

Belatedly, Hinata realized that she was spitting vitriol at an ANBU captain. She heard him stand. She hugged herself, bracing for another scolding.

"The measure of one's ability is in what one chooses to protect, so I think you are far stronger than you realize. Thank you," he said. A warm hand rest on the top of her head for a brief moment.

When Hinata looked up in surprise at his praise, she was alone.

You are far stronger than you realize.

She must believe that. Mouse had told her that even though she'd only yelled insults at him. He'd even thanked her, though she didn't know why. Resolutely, she wiped away her tears and stood.

She returned to the Academy, head held high.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 45: Secrets of a Memory - 4**

* * *

 

 

 

"But I can't p-protect my family if I'm not strong! Konoha isn't K-Konoha without them! You're a...a stupid ANBU!"

Itachi stared at the tiny form of the girl. He'd only started talking to her in an attempt to distance himself from the whirling storm of emotions inside him. Yet she was yelling insults that made him stop and think.

He had resigned himself to "protecting Konoha", same as Shisui's final wish. Yet what was Konoha? What made it Konoha?

Konoha was formed by its people; the bad neighbors and the good neighbors, the strong and the weak, the old and young, loyal and traitorous, happy and unhappy, boisterous and quiet...it all defined Konoha.

And the Konoha he wanted to protect was peaceful. Peace was the safety of the people of Konoha, the happiness, the sense of security and trust and hope for the future. The massacre of one of the pillar clans that supported and protected the village would send everything toppling into mass panic and fear.

Just like the aftermath of the Kyuubi attack. It was what he'd vowed to himself to prevent from befalling his village ever again.

That wasn't a Konoha he would want for Sasuke to live in.

Konoha wasn't Konoha without its people. Destroying the people was the same as destroying the village.

It took a little girl to make such a simple fact clear to him.

Danzo was wrong.

Itachi stood up.

"The measure of one's ability is in what one chooses to protect, so I think you are far stronger than you realize. Thank you," he said sincerely. He laid a soft hand on the top of the little girl's head in a moment of gratitude and comfort. He hoped that was enough to comfort her, even though he wasn't doing a very good job of it to begin with. Then he teleported away.

He didn't have much time.

"Danzo-sama," he said quietly. The council member looked up from with his desk with a frown.

"Weasel, it is not yet sunset."

"Correct, it is not."

"Then you have no reason to be here," Danzo said dismissively. He started to turn back to his paperwork when a heavy killer intent filled the room. He looked up into a black blades spinning on a field of crimson.

"I must refuse your mission," Itachi informed him calmly.

The colors of the world inversed.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 46: Secrets of a Memory - 5**

* * *

 

 

 

Sandaime rolled the mouth of the pipe between his teeth as he watched his youngest ANBU captain in his glass viewing ball. Weasel was acting strangely.

After the young captain spoke briefly with a distraught Hyuuga Hinata, he disappeared for a half hour, and then returned to the Academy in time to watch over the dismissal of the classes. Weasel didn't approach his little brother, but only watched from afar as the younger Uchiha dashed for the training fields.

Then Weasel disappeared from sight again. Moments later, Sarutobi found himself staring at the inside of his office.

"Sandaime-sama, I have need of your time."

The Third looked up with a quizzical expression. It also wasn't everyday that one of the most talented young shinobi of the village entered his office through the window without any respect for the doors so thoughtfully installed for that very purpose.

Even more worrying was his appearance. It had been difficult to see in the crystal ball, but Weasel looked less than pristine with his uniform a tattered mess of rips and burns. The scent of singed hair and flesh lingered. A splatter of bright red stained his cloak. Through the holes of the ANBU mask, Sarutobi could see the wild look in the dark eyes. The Hokage laid down his pen and folded his hands together.

Weasel should be off rotation. He had no missions. He shouldn't even be in uniform.

"Weasel-san, what is the matter?"

Itachi's entire body thrummed with tension. He kneeled stiffly in a show of respect and allegiance, head bowed, one hand over his heart.

"Above all, I serve Konoha," he said. The Hokage nodded with a frown. "And Konoha is the culmination of its people."

"Of course, but what is the meaning of this sudden declaration?"

The young ANBU captain hesitated, and a cold hand reached into the Sandaime's chest. He had never seen Weasel act like this.

"Hokage-sama, I have committed a great crime, and I submit myself to you."

"Young man, an over-enthusiastic spar is far from illegal. Our medics are very capable, no matter how badly you hurt your opponent," Sarutobi chuckled nervously. Weasel tilted his head slightly.

"I am flattered by your trust in me, Hokage-sama," the boy told him sincerely. "But my actions can not be acquitted so easily."

"What do you mean?"

"I have taken the task of eliminating Danzo-sama. It is a matter between him and I, so please do not blame my clan."

Sarutobi paled.

"What have you-"

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama, please allow me to finish before you call the ANBU. I received an order from Danzo earlier today to eliminate the Uchiha. Destroying an integral part of Konoha will not save the peace of the village." Itachi laid a scroll on the Hokage's desk. "Please present this evidence to the council and the Uchiha. You will find Danzo-sama's body, and the eleven Sharingan he has stolen from various Uchiha, including Uchiha Shisui's."

Shakily, Sarutobi formed a seal that summoned the ANBU on duty.

"Hokage-sama," Dog and Cat greeted in unison.

"Call a meeting of all the clan heads - this is a Code Red." Cat bowed and left to pass on the order. Dog remained. "And please take Weasel into temporary custody," he muttered. The Hokage put his head in his hands, unable to watch one of the village's best and brightest be arrested, nor look at the damning evidence before him.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 47: Secrets of a Memory - 6**

* * *

  

Itachi stood before the council, mask still in place. Despite the chakra shackles on his wrists and ankles, he felt free. More than he felt in years. The pressure that was gradually choking him had disappeared.

He had held to his beliefs, and Itachi believed that his actions would protect the people he was meant to protect. Even if he were executed tonight, he had no regrets.

But the council was fighting, and their veiled, pointed insults were directed at each other. It was not what Itachi wanted. If only he could make them understand. He'd laid the pieces of this puzzle before them, and they only ignore the horrific picture those pieces formed.

Itachi sighed, and the air inside his mask warmed. He blinked.

Dog had conveniently forgotten to remove Itachi's mask. His anonymity was his weapon. In this situation, no one will believe the Uchiha heir, but they still might heed the words of an ANBU Captain. Given the sly twinkle in Kakashi's eye, it was not a mistake. Itachi dared to only incline his head minutely in gratitude. The Dog ANBU shrugged with a roll of his shoulders that looked like the fidgeting of a bored guard.

Itachi stepped forward, his motion awkward due to the chains on his ankles. The room fell silent and he began to speak, spilling the secrets of the Uchiha clan before the greedy council like bright, over-polished coins.

"There is a higher level of the Sharingan, called the Mangekyou Sharingan. It allows the user to utilize genjutsu that bridges both the greatest weakness and the greatest strength of Uchiha techniques - genjutsu only affects mind. The Mangekyou affects the mind, as well as the body and soul and the very space it resides in. The power of Mangekyou is a terrible one, the power of the normal Sharingan you admire compounded a hundred times, perhaps a thousand times."

Itachi looked at the room as they stared down at him.

"But there is a price. The Mangekyou can only be achieved through great trauma, something like the sorrow of losing someone you love. Uchiha Shisui's mother recently passed, only a month before his suicide. You can have a neutral party affirm it - Danzo's right eye socket holds the stolen Mangekyou Sharingan of Uchiha Shisui."

A wave of outrage rippled through the clan heads like a sonic pulse.

"And embedded in his arm were ten more Sharingan. How many of your fellow Konoha ninja were sacrificed for that?" Itachi gave them no room for more gasps or reactions as he continued coldly. "Interrogate me. Mindwalk me. I offer all I see to be evidence, and I only lay the facts before you."

His voice was soft, so soft it forced everyone to lean forward to hang on his every word. He lifted his chin, wondering if this was the last time he would speak to the people in this room. Perhaps the last time he would be able to see his father, who was currently trying to the set him on fire with his glare alone.

He was losing them. Biting his lip, Itachi tried one last time at reason.

"Konoha is like the mind of a strong shinobi: Hokage-sama his leadership, the council his duty, the Hyuuga his pride, the Aburame his logic, the Yamanaka his self-awareness, the Nara his wisdom, the Inuzuka his loyalty..." Itachi turned his head and looked at each clan head for a long moment as he named them. Methodically, he listed every clan head in attendance at the meeting, saving his own clan for last. Itachi met the eyes of his father. "...and the Uchiha his passion."

Fugaku made no outward sign except a slight widening of his eyes, but Itachi knew that his father recognized him now. Itachi held his gaze as he spoke. "Each part by itself has its weaknesses and strengths, but a balanced mind with all those parts is the most strong. A mind at war with itself will only weaken and crumble."

His final statement was like the crack of whip across the silence of the room. He didn't need to say the next part: _just like Konoha will._

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 48: Secrets of a Memory - 7**

 

* * *

 

Hinata peeked around the corner. Father seemed agitated when he returned from the emergency village council meeting. Several council members followed him into his office. Hinata pressed her ear to the wall - the unique acoustics of the hallway made it sound as if she were pressed right up against the door. In a house of glass where everything was always on display, people sometimes mistook looking for seeing.

"What happened, Hiashi-sama?" Father sat in his chair and massaged his temples.

"One of the ANBU assassinated Danzo-sama."

Hinata forced her chakra to match her surroundings, hoping that they would not discover her. She had to hear more. Her first thought was of Mouse. He had seemed so sad even he comforted her. Did he know that someone had put an order out?

She knew of Danzo. He was a grumpy, old man with bandages all over his face. He had been one of the many challengers who'd examined her mind, trying to find a root to all her worthlessness. She remembered him in particular because she didn't like the baku, the dream-eaters, he summoned in his genjutsu.

According to myth, baku were supposed to be benevolent creatures that protected against nightmares. She even kept an amulet or two of their likeness under her pillow.

Until Danzo had one of his baku riffle through her mind, ripping through her every thought like gossamer spider webs, roaring - _WHERE IS IT? WHERE ARE YOU HIDING IT?" The voice echoed throughout her mind, jarring every bone in her body. Hinata kept running, tripping, stumbling, falling, but still running. She couldn't stop because then the Bad Man will catch her and pry her secrets, her soul, her everything from her. She could hear his footsteps chasing her._

_She will not let him catch her. Never._

_This wasn't an illusion. She had to run, because she knew she will never escape and yet she knew she must escape the_  -demands in her head. It took her weeks to recover. She hadn't felt the same after that.

If it was Mouse, she was glad he did it. The very next moment, she scolded herself for celebrating someone's death.

"...after long deliberation they will not persecute him beyond officially discharging him from the ANBU. There is no place for a soldier that doesn't follow orders, even if he was acting in the best interests of Konoha."

"But that's preposterous!" one of the councilmen protested. "The nature of ANBU makes it possible for him to simply re-enlist under a different mask. That's not even a slap on the wrist! For assassinating one of the most influen-"

His words trailed off. Even through the wall, Hinata thought she could feel the chilly glare that Hiashi leveled on the speaker.

"I would be careful how you speak of that man now. The ANBU soldier was not persecuted because he brought in evidence of a terrible treason. The Hokage is launching a full-scale investigation regarding all the missing bodies of those who had bloodline limits, namely Hyuuga and Uchiha. If he would keep so many for himself, how many more has he given away?"

There was a long silence before anyone spoke.

"Hiashi-sama. Do you think there is a chance that Danzo was involved with what happened four years ago?"

"There is a possibility," was the clipped reply.

Hinata jerked her ear away and the voices faded. Her head was beginning to hurt, compounded by the hard throb of her heartbeat in her eardrums. She didn't want to hear any more of the twisting and turnings of politics.

Mouse was okay.

That was all she needed to know.


	8. The Last Supper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mikoto and the author continues to enjoy torturing Itachi. And some plot, I guess.

**Chapter 49: The Last Supper - 1**

 

* * *

 

Uchiha Mikoto was caught between a strange combination of worry and glee. Itachi had seemed far more lively (for her stoic son, anyways) the past few weeks, but more recently, he'd taken a sudden turn for worse. He would spend long hours simply staring out the window, and while that was not unusual for him, she was sure he wasn't unraveling some impossible jutsu or whatnot. If her intuition was correct, he was tangled in a far less tangible problem.

Namely, a lovely problem called Hyuuga Hinata.

While Fugaku had sniffed at the mention of the ex-Hyuuga-heir, Mikoto thought it worked out perfectly. Her Branch status removed the need for messy clan politics or betrothal contracts, and more importantly, her grandbabies would _be so cute_.

After a moment of thought, she efficiently peeled and sliced an apple.

"Thank you, Mother," Itachi murmured when she handed him the snack. He let her tuck a strand of his hair behind his ear. Even though she was a retired jounin, she hadn't been able to sneak in a gesture of affection since Itachi was five. However, after their near massacre, he'd begun to open back up. If no one was around, he'd even allow her to mother him a little.

Her poor, awkward genius. While the rest of the world only saw the unflappable leader, Mikoto knew how difficult it was for Itachi to show or accept affection. Sasuke (and in the recent years, the members of Team 7) compensated with overblown antics that Itachi could scoff fondly at and tease them over, but anything further was strictly hidden away. Like the jerky movements of an untrained genin, he oscillated between too much and too little. Naturally, showing less was far more acceptable and that was where he settled comfortably unless pushed.

Mikoto sat in the seat next to Itachi.

"You should invite her to dinner."

He gave her a shocked look before shuttering all emotion behind dark eyes. "That would not be advantageous to any party," Itachi dismissed quickly. "While Hinata-san was a prominent member of the Hyuuga, she has long been removed from the intricate political circles to be comfortable with us. You do not need to attempt to create a bridge that is not there. Furthermore -"

"A simple 'no' would have sufficed, Itachi-kun," she said with a knowing chuckle. "Tomorrow night at 7. Bring her." She tried to pat him on the shoulder, and Itachi protested her command by neatly avoiding her hand. Mikoto could barely suppress her smirk. Sasuke always hissed like a little snake at her, but the flicker of resigned annoyance on her older son's face was just as cute.

She could already imagine that expression on her future grandbabies...

  

* * *

 

**Chapter 50: The Last Supper - 2**

 

* * *

  

He was avoiding Hinata.

He'd never sought out the identity of the little girl because she had been trying to hide her face. He would respect that need, and yet in the same moment of that thought, judge himself as an arrogant coward.

Itachi had studied the brunettes that made genin around the same few years of Sasuke. But no seemed to be her. It had never occurred to him that a girl with such ambitions would have never passed the genin exam.

Because he did wonder - how could he not? All these years had inevitably expanded his memory of her into something unrealistic. She would have become a kunoichi, probably already in ANBU. She would have shattered all preconceptions of weakness and strength and found a place in league with Tsunade.

She would - should - have become great. Legendary.

Because anything less was admitting that his choice that day of the almost-massacre had been entirely his own. That the choice he almost made was just as much his responsibility as the choice he did. And in between the tangled lines of duty and love, he had been just as likely to murder his clan as he had been to save it.

Itachi had never forgiven himself for that.

But he had run out of excuses, and Mother was adamant, and Itachi went to meet her.

"Itachi-san, good evening," Hinata greeted with a slight bow.

It was difficult on several levels to force his perspective of what should have been two very different people. He was disappointed to see how beaten Hinata was compared to the little girl who was still fighting, the image of a warrior that he'd depended on to assuage his guilt. But it also hurt to realize that she must have fought until she had been beaten.

Hinata squirmed under his stare.

"Um...Itachi-san...?" she said uncomfortably.

What was wrong with him? At this rate, he'd turn into pubescent teenager, incapable of anything but staring awkwardly at the crush who never knew he existed. A relationship born solely of his delusion.

"My apologies," he said gently. "I suppose the best way would be to say it directly." He knew that the implication that his pause was devoted to being more polite would appeal to Hinata, and her shoulders relaxed. "You are invited to dinner with my family. Tomorrow at 7."

For all his morose thoughts, Itachi couldn't help but chuckle when every fiber of Hinata's body tensed as if she had been struck with a Chidori - ever her hair seemed to puff out in surprise - and she flushed a lovely, boiled-lobster red.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 51: The Last Supper - 3**

 

* * *

 

Hinata readjusted her sleeves again, even though she'd messed with them so often that the pressed fabric was already twisted and limp. Her insides seemed to feel the same abuse and squirmed again. She should have sent a message. She'd been overtaken by a sudden illness, and it would be so impolite of her to vomit all over her hosts.

But it was too late. It would be a little strange to send a messenger when she was already sitting at the dinner table with the Uchiha main family. Fugaku and Itachi remained deathly silent while Mikoto kept the polite conversation alive with Sasuke's help. Hinata politely made sure her mouth was full at all times and therefore was unable to contribute. But as determined as she was to focus on her fascinatingly white rice, Hinata remained sharply aware of Itachi, was seated across from her.

Instead of his usual uniform, he wore a black yukata, and Hinata had no doubt that the Uchiha fan was emblazoned on the back. Superficially, he looked very much the same. She had no reason to blush nor be overtaken by nerves, but it was the first time it hit her hard just who she'd been meeting with all these weeks.

"...the wisteria are in bloom," Sasuke abruptly mentioned. Mikoto's eyes brightened.

"Hinata-san," she said. Hinata's hand spasmed, but she managed to catch her chopsticks. Not that an entire family of ninja would have missed her fumble. Fugaku narrowed his eyes slightly, but merely wiped his mouth and remained silent. Hinata glanced back at the woman.

"Yes, Mikoto-san?"

"After dinner, would you like to see the Uchiha gardens? The wisteria trees are still in bloom. We would all join you, but the path is so narrow and so many of us would ruin the scenery..." Mikoto trailed off sadly, heartbroken by her inability to be a polite and proper hostess.

"But you know the gardens well enough to give the tour just by your lonesome, neh Aniki?" Sasuke pipped up, eyes bright and full of hero worship for such a genius older brother.

Mikoto joined in by looking at the eldest son with an expression that everyone knew only pretended to be questioning.

There was a pause. Itachi set his chopsticks down with a sharp clack.

"It would be my pleasure," the eldest son gritted out as he stood and approached Hinata's side of the table. Though he looked sternly at his little brother the entire way.

"You're welcome," Sasuke said with a smirk that was so wide it may as well be an evil grin. Mikoto waved.

Fugaku just sipped his tea, though the furrow between his brows had deepened considerably.

Hinata had little choice but to accept Itachi's offered elbow - it was the polite thing to after all, even if she thought she might shrivel up in embarrassment - and followed him out the room.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 52: The Last Supper - 4**

 

* * *

  

Itachi wondered if he should still follow through with Danzo's secret mission. There was still time to save Konoha from the disease that was the Uchiha. Even if there was no Akatsuki, he was more than capable of forming his own group. Though he might need an army to help him if he couldn't convince the future Rokudaime that killing his best friend was a wholly necessary and justified act.

Hm, maybe he should leave his foolish little brother alive after all...but certainly not uninjured.

A light squeeze of his arm pulled him from his murderous reverie. He looked down to shy, violet eyes, and all anger fled his mind.

"Itachi-san...are we going to see the wisteria after all?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course," he muttered. They walked to the side door to the gardens in silence, both all too aware of their linked arms but also wary of drawing even more attention to the fact by withdrawing either.

Hinata gasped softly in awe as she took in the view. The warm glow of lanterns filled the garden path, casting soft shadows among the wisteria flowers. The trees themselves were so heavy and full of blooms that they leaned in over the stone path like welcoming friends. It was picture out of a fairy tale book.

Itachi remained silent and let her enjoy the scene in silence. That was one thing he was coming to appreciate more and more about Hinata. Like him, she did not feel the need to fill the air for the sake of noise.

If it weren't the fiasco at dinner, Itachi could ever say he was enjoying the evening.

"I hope dinner was tolerable," he said. Hinata paused and turned towards him.

"I...like your family," she said softly. "They were different from what I expected, but no less wonderful."

Itachi blinked. "Thank you, that is kind of you to say. But please let me know if they have offended you in any way."

She chuckled lightly, hand hiding her mouth. Itachi stared, for he had never seen her laugh, and even though he couldn't see most of her face, her whole visage seemed to transform and brighten, centered around those lovely, pale eyes. And he could only stare as the lantern light illuminated her hair and the soft lavender petals drifted around them, curtaining them from the rest of the world.

"Itachi-san?" she asked. One petal turned in the breeze and landed in her hair. Itachi reached down to remove it. The heady scent of the wisteria flowers filled his senses, pressing in like a tangible force and he leaned in -

"Hey, Bastard! Y'there?! Baaastard~ oh Basty-asty-bassstard~!"

Both of them jumped at the dulcet tones of one future Hokage. Even if the jinchuuriki was Hokage-level, he shouldn't have been able to sneak up on Itachi so easily. Itachi berated himself for forgetting Naruto's penchant to appear on the Uchiha compound at odd hours, yowling like a freshly-bathed tomcat. In fact, he'd forgotten all else.

And he only found himself ever more irritated for the reminder. Was it the residue of her strange genjutsu?

Or something else entirely?

He shook his head of such thoughts. He will analyse it later. "You must be tired. I will walk you home."

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 53: The Last Supper - 5**

 

* * *

  

Quietly, Hinata snuck into the Hyuuga pantry. She pressed a hand to her stomach, urging it to stop growling so rudely.

She'd been so nervous the Dinner that she hadn't eaten all day beforehand, and then during, she only managed a few bites. Her appetite only returned with the rush of relief after she'd closed the gate behind her, signifying the end of a very confusing dinner (or date? Was that even considered a date if it was only one-sided?) She was only beginning to regain her original state of calm, and the day's stress was sure to reflect in her dreams.

Between the protests of her thoughts and stomach, Hinata found only insomnia.

Light fingers and toes found her path in the darkness. For all the power of the Byakugan, night vision was not one of the Hyuuga's skills.

"Hinata-san?"

Hinata toppled over with a sharp squeak. There was click of a switch, and light filled the kitchen. Hikaru stared at her quizzically from the doorway.

"Are you alright?" Hinata knew the other girl wasn't inquiring about her throbbing knee, but about the nightmares that made her night-time wanderings a common occurrence.

"Yes, I just didn't get much to eat today."

"At the Uchiha's," Hikaru filled in for her. The other girl approached her, expression solemn. "There is talk, you know," Hikaru whispered. "The ones outside of Hyuuga. It's okay if the target can defend herself, but you…" she trailed off, though they both were painfully aware of Hinata's failed ninja status. She was so weak she was to be pitied.

For brief moment, she felt the burn of anger in her chest. Just because she wasn't ninja didn't mean she should be looked down upon. Itachi, at least, regarded her as equal as the others. Not that it mattered, when everyone seemed weak compared to him.

Then, Hinata wondered just how terrible these conversations Hikaru heard really were, and how they would compare to the cruel thoughts she directed at herself.

"Thank you for telling me. I'll be more careful."

Hikaru smiled wistfully. "I guess the blood can't lie," she muttered.

"What do you mean by that?"

Hikaru blushed, but Hinata gestured for her to explain. "Even though you look Branch and act Branch…you are still a member of the Main Family after all. Who else could be invited to dinner with the family of Uchiha Itachi?"

Hinata felt cold. Is her correspondence with Itachi making her stand out so much? Did she fail at even becoming a proper Branch member?

"I am Branch," she murmured, more to herself. "It is all I am." She absently touched the seal on her forehead. "The rest is in the past."

"Of course," Hikaru acquiesced automatically. They both winced, and quickly parted ways.

Hikaru's comment shook her. Because just who was she to think she could stand next to Itachi? No wonder more worthy girls are whispering. Such gossip was usually harmless, but if word percolated back to the Main House...

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 54: The Last Supper - 6**

 

* * *

 

Hinata spent the next morning in a daze, exhausted from nightmares and anxiety, drifting like a ghost down the halls. She didn't notice Hiyoshi approaching her until it was too late.

"Hinata-san," he croaked. She suppressed a squeak as she looked up, barely avoiding a collision with the council elder.

"Hiyoshi-sama," she demured, "I apologize for my inattention." She bowed low and deep, hoping the querulus man will simply huff and move on.

No such luck.

He peered down at her. "My office, if you will. There are matters we should discuss."

The silence only grew heavier and heavier as they walked to his office, until Hinata felt her shoulders curled in as if bracing for a strike. Hiyoshi peered at her over his shoulder before he opened the door, raised a gray eyebrow and cleared his throat in disapproval. Hinata's spine snapped up like released bow.

Hiyoshi settled his lean, wiry frame into his chair with a grace that belied his years. He clasped his hands and eyed Hinata.

"There has been talk of the Uchiha heir," he said tersely. "Is it true?"

Hinata bowed her head, not in politeness but to hide the frown from how he referred to Itachi like he would rank garbage. Her lack of sleep was beginning to affect her emotions strangely.

"What talk do you speak of, Hiyoshi-sama?" she asked cryptically. "There is always talk of the Uchiha." Hiyoshi frowned slightly, suspicious of her tone. Normally, she would have answered him easily.

"Yes, but regarding you and him?"

Fear drew a cold finger down her spine. The glint in Hiyoshi's eyes could only mean he was digging for dirt. It was a glint that terrified Hinata more than she could explain, but she could always recognize it.

A part of her wanted to admit everything, because Hiyoshi always took care of the messes she caused her father. But for the first time in a long while, Hinata's sole goal of making of as little trouble as possible for her family had a rival - protecting Itachi from her family.

It didn't make sense. Though she remained perfectly still, Hinata could feel everything in her tremble, shaking from the tension between nature and nurture and sheer survival instinct.

"If there is anything to do with the Uchiha, you need to tell me," he said almost kindly. "The Hyuuga reputation must be protected after all."

Hiyoshi kept watching, waiting. Hinata gulped, and nodded.

"Everyone knows Uchiha-sama also wanted to try his hand at this puzzle," she answered. "He's losing interest and Mikoto-sama felt the need to at least make the motions of gratitude."

It was in line with what the Hyuuga wanted to think of the Uchiha, so even though Hiyoshi was disappointed by the expected, he nodded and dismissed her.

Hinata fled, barely even breathing until she'd slid door shut behind her. She unfurled her white-knuckled fists, staring at the bloody haif-moons on her palms.

She'd just placed Itachi above her own family. What kind of failure of a Branch member did that?

"I am Branch," she whispered. She cupped her forehead - she could almost feel the seal burn like a brand.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 55: The Last Supper - 7**

 

* * *

 

"Uchiha-san, please use the Mangekyou on me," was the first thing Hinata said to him the next time they met.

He paused, analyzing the different reasons for this sudden request. When she'd requested the Sharingan, it was out of consideration for his lack of things to test. But this time, he had plenty, and while they managed to keep her nightmares to a minimum through some trial and error, the Mangekyou was an immediate guarantee for a...bad reaction.

Was it something from the dinner? Was she so offended by his family that she was willing to brave the Mangekyou in order hurry the process along and avoid any future dinners?

Even as he thought it, Itachi concluded that he was being ludicrous. But, the possibility still bothered him. She had switched back to more formal tone, after all.

Itachi shook his head of such silliness and picked the most likely scenario.

"Did you have an unusual nightmare?"

She only shook her head, revealing none of the adorable ticks she usually displayed like blushing and fiddling with her fingers. The almost mechanical gesture made her seem like a broken doll. It discomfited Itachi to see her acting as if she'd just woken from one of her nightmares, even though her clear gaze indicated otherwise.

"Then can you tell me why you wish it so?" he asked. She peeked at him between the curtain of her bangs, and then slowly shook her head.

"N-no particular reason," she lied. Hurt, Itachi didn't press further. The last time he had tried to manipulate her, she'd reacted poorly. Whenever he seemed to step too close, figure too much, or simply become too familiar, she went on the defensive, as if...

It made a horrible kind of sense.

"What are you protecting, Hinata? Give me an idea, so I will take care to avoid the subject."

Hinata opened her mouth, and Itachi expected her to say that she was protecting her clan, herself, her precious people.

"I don't know..."

She seemed surprised by what she said.

"You don't know?" he echoed. "How can you not know?"

"I'm afraid to," she affirmed.

The worst part of it all, was that he knew she was telling the truth.


	9. The Guardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a lot happens, Hinata is badass, Itachi (and everyone around him) fears for his sanity.

**Chapter 56: The Guardian - 1**

* * *

  

The Mangekyou had oddly little effect this time.

"Strange," Itachi said with a slight frown. He surmised that Hinata was more affected by wide-area genjutsu and sent her home to rest. "Don't want to disturb your rest too much," was his justification. Hinata blushed and nodded and obeyed.

The nights were invading sooner and sooner, and the street lamps were little defense against the dark. A shadow flickered out of the corner of her eyes. Hinata sped up, rabbit heartbeat fluttering at her throat. A friendly ninja would be projecting their chakra, and civilians were easy to detect.

But she couldn't track this visitor.

She caught a glimpse of movement again. Hinata broke into a run, wind whipping her hair against her face. She could see the side gate of the Hyuuga walls. Hinata flared her chakra, desperately hoping someone was near to feel her signal.

She reached the gate, but her trembling hands made it impossible to jam her key into the lock. She made the mistake of looking back.

Light glinted off a long blade, blue and deadly.

"NO!" she yelped, pushing him, rejecting him. The attacker slashed at her face. She fell back, ground jarring her wrists painfully.

The world turned pitch black.

She was still aware, but her eyes had failed her. Hinata curled into herself, and she heard movement. There was a grunt of pain, and then sounds of fighting - fists against flesh, metal against mettle. There was a thump - someone's body? - and then silence.

She heard approaching footsteps.

"Hinata?"

Itachi.

Her heartbeat pulsed at her injured wrists. She forgot how to breathe.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 57: The Guardian - 2**

 

* * *

  

She was suffocating.

She couldn't remember what was happening.

Hands on her shoulders trapped her and panic trapped her lungs. She clawed at her throat, tiny squeaking noises squeezing through her windpipe and still not enough air notenoughairtrappedcan'tbreathohkamiohka-

"Hinata! Breathe!"

Gentle, worried hands framed her face and forced her to look. Dark eyes captured hers. Hinata blinked, gaze sliding to the rise and fall of his torso as he breathed. In and out. In and out. And she was obeying him, mimicking him, her breath matching his and mingling warmly in the air between their faces.

Hinata blinked again. She wasn't in the tunnels of her mind, but seated safely on the lush hills of the training grounds, with the coolness of the shade slipping between the heat of the waning sunset and the heat of him.

"Itachi?" she whispered, all her questions tangent his name. What happened? Why was he touching her face? When did he get so close?

"Yes," he affirmed. That he was there, that he was real and not a figment of her imagination. Not the genjutsu.

She reached up for one of his hands. His skin was warm, the muscles and bones of his wrists solid, pulse drumming her fingertips. She realized that it wasn't just her that was shaking.

He withdrew, gently removing his hand from hers and sitting back. Hinata found herself oddly bereft though she knew she generally disliked people getting so close. "It appears that you possess…" Itachi closed his eyes for a moment to recollect his thoughts before continuing. "...an affinity for genjutsu."

"Affinity?" She wondered if he was so shaken that he had unintentionally used the wrong word. 'Affinity' implied strength, a natural ability, and it was the last word Hinata would ever liken to her greatest weakness.

"I have a theory," he explained. "You've conditioned yourself to fight all genjutsu, to almost physically reject them, though your mindscape is uniquely suited to accept genjutsu. While I can't gather much about your ability to cast genjutsu, you have the ability to possibly commandeer another's jutsu."

"Commandeer a jutsu?" Hinata echoed, feeling very much like a parrot. She was finding it hard to think logically when the memory of Itachi's callused hand still ghosted over her skin.

He nodded, well aware of how ridiculous it seemed to her, and then came to a decision. "You almost turned my genjutsu on me," he admitted reluctantly. It was a difficult thing for the genius to say, about one of his most powerful techniques.

Hinata stared, torn between laughing at his joke and crying that he could be so cruel when he knew she was sensitive about her strength. He held her gaze. Hinata looked away first, heart sinking,

Weak little Hinata, the failure of the Hyuuga clan, had almost defeated the famous Uchiha Itachi. The Uchiha Itachi.

Worst of all, he wasn't even lying.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 58: The Guardian - 3**

 

* * *

  

When Itachi found himself wrestling his own genjutsu, he had been forced to eject Hinata from the illusion. But even then, he felt her lingering at the edges of his awareness, still tangled in his chakra.

It took more effort than he'd liked to bring them back to the present. And when she fought for her air, his own stilled in his chest, chilling his heart.

"The Mangekyou is so effective because it forms such a strong connection between the caster and the target. I'm essentially inside your mind - actually very similar to the Yamanaka mind walking. However, with you doing little beyond imagining a scenario, you took my illusion and twisted it into your own world. With some training, it's likely that you are capable of using the connection to turn it back on the attacker."

He was blabbering. Trying to stuff words and space between...whatever that had been moments earlier. Between having his own jutsu turn on him and having to watch her struggle...whatever his excuses, he was overstepping courtesy, toeing the boundary between forwardness and outright insult. Especially since he knew Hinata held manners in importance above everything else.

Itachi was a master of manners, of jutsu, of powerful ideas. But all three failed him with Hinata.

"What was your original illusion?"

Itachi checked for eavesdroppers furtively before replying.

"Kittens."

A shocked little giggle escaped her lips. He felt himself relax.

"My diabolical plan had been to trap you with endless kittens for 72 hours," he added in a dangerous monotone. He saw the shy smile at the corners at her lips. "The missing-nin of the world tremble." Then she was grinning, though she hid it behind a delicate hand.

"What a truly terrible technique," she murmured. A flash of realization darkened her eyes when she remembered that it will come back to haunt her tonight. Itachi's good humor escaped him.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking away. "I lost control of the genjutsu." He will need to train more. He was arrogant, and Hinata will suffer for it.

She shook her head, making her hair fan out around her face, so easily absolving him of his mistakes.

"But I do have a request," Itachi said softly. " When the nightmares come, rather than run away from them, try to fight, to conquer it. My genjutsu became the weakest when you rejected what you imagined to be your attacker. I can't help you, but you are more capable than you think."

She was silent, staring at him, with a hint of red still on her cheeks and pink lips parted in surprise. Itachi wondered if anyone had ever asked her to fight, rather than simply try to fix her.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 59: The Guardian - 4**

 

* * *

  

Light glinted off a long blade, blue and deadly.

"NO!" she yelped, pushing him, rejecting him. The attacker slashed at her face. She fell back, ground jarring her wrists painfully.

The world turned pitch black.

Hinata froze, unable the shake the sense of deja vu. She could hear her heart thundering past her ears, yet never drowning out his voice.

" _When the nightmares come, rather than run away from them, try to fight, to conquer it_."

Hinata curled in on herself, squeezing her eyes shut and pulling at the courage she wasn't sure she had.

" _You are stronger than you realize_."

She opened her eyes. She looked up at the masked man.

_You do not belong._

She could feel her limbs tremble. She stood and settled into the most basic ready stance of her family taijutsu, hands raised in a deceptively relaxed stance.

The masked man attacked, blade arcing towards her. Hinata leaned to the side, just as her father had taught her. Her muscles were weak, but the memory was still there. So was the memory of running away. Terror liquified her knees.

She hesitated, and the sword nicked her cheek. Hinata cried out. But she didn't run.

She faced her attacker.

"You are stronger than you realize," she reminded herself. She had the force of Itachi's belief behind her.

This time, the sword sung past her harmlessly. Hinata twirled and charged, unsteady on her feet like a newborn colt - half falling, half running, kept upright only by her own momentum.

_Begone._

Chakra lit her fingers for the first time in years and her rusty coils itched with new circulation. She traced his tenketsu with an artist's touch. The man stumbled, fell, and then dissipated into smoke.

Hinata opened her eyes, again, and the lines of her ceiling framed her vision. She stared up, breathing unsteady and sheets sticking to her skin uncomfortably. This time, it wasn't because of fear, but because of triumph. A heady victory.

She reached a hand to her cheek in wonder, soothing the pain of the phantom cut on her face.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 60: The Guardian - 5**

 

* * *

  

"It's  _him_. At the side gate."

Hinata looked up. Her little sister peered at her over the sill of her window, sweat glistening at her forehead from her early morning training. The 'him' that Hanabi referred to was clearly not someone the younger Hyuuga liked, given the tone of voice and sneer that tugged at her lips.

"I'd hurry before everyone knows," Hanabi advised sulkily. Hinata nodded and hurried outside after tossing on a coat. She got the distinct sense that her younger sister was trying to cover for her, and she didn't not want to waste the younger's efforts.

Hinata opened the gate and peered out, suspecting but not daring to presume.

She gasped softly. Quickly remembering her manners, she bowed in greeting. Itachi pushed away from the brick wall he'd been leaning against, politely remaining just outside the Hyuuga walls. He gave her a wan smile and returned the bow with a nod. Dark eyes perused her.

"How was your rest?" A small frown wrinkled the skin between his eyebrows, and the furrows around his nose seemed deeper. He looked like how she usually felt after a nightmare.

It took Hinata a moment to understand: Itachi was concerned. And he'd come to check on her.

"Ano...it was…I mean..."

He'd broken the routine and she was scrambling to match his pace. She wondered if the heat of her blush had melted her brain, because it was impossible to speak coherently. All Hinata could think of was of how close he'd been and the set of his lips that indicated that he was uncertain and she'd so carelessly forgotten the suffix for his name and she was only Branch so she should stop but maybe this was another dream so she should enjoy it but that was still wrong of her and...She struggled for a single, coherent thought for a few moments before giving up and nodding mutely. That only seemed to upset the Uchiha more.

"That bad?" he muttered. Hinata gripped the gate handle, feeling weak from lack of blood in the rest of her body. Vaguely, she noticed that this was the face version of an erection, with all the blood going to the wrong places. But then the thought of erections broken something in her head and her thoughts fizzled to nothing.

Itachi tilted his head slightly to the side, frown deepening. Hinata recognized it as a rare gesture of frustration, maybe even helplessness, if the term could be applied.

"I should not have agreed to utilize the Mangekyou. What can I do to rectify your discomfort?" He looked lost and she hated the idea that she did this to him unjustifiably.

This was nothing. She'd was beginning to defeat the nightmares that plagued her, and so she can defeat her own wayward thoughts. Itachi deserved a proper explanation and it was discourteous of her to mislead him this way.

"You've already done enough," she admitted. She licked her chapped lips, gathering her thoughts. "I fought this time. I won. And you helped me do that." She took a breath.

"So thank you, Itachi," she said softly.

She caught a spark of genuine pleasure in Itachi's expression, and it lit something in the faint embers of her self-esteem. "Well done, Hinata." She shared a proud, radiant smile with him.

At that moment, a breeze tugged at his hair, sending dancing wisps to frame the warmth in his expression, and she found herself peering up at him shyly. He was moving even closer, so slowly Hinata thought time had stopped...

She could count his eyelashes. Could feel his bangs tickling her forehead. Rough pad of his thumb on her cheek. Fingers curving along her jaw.

Breaths across her skin.

And lips. Caressing hers.

Sparks.

 _Uuwueh_ ….?!

Hinata gave up trying to find coherency.

She closed her eyes and kissed him back.

 

* * *

  

**Chapter 61: The Guardian - 6**

 

* * *

  

Itachi knew he was an elite soldier, one of Konoha's finest guardians.

It wasn't due to monstrous strength (that would be Naruto), nor perfect chakra control (that would be Sakura), or even a mastery of the Sharingan that surpassed the limits of human ability (that would be Uchiha Madara...though his foolish brother was a viable candidate). No, Itachi's weapon was logic and cleverness; his shield was wisdom and foresight.

Yet for all his mental capabilities, the Uchiha genius had a hard time discerning just exactly how he'd ended up kissing Hinata.

After a long night, he had slipped to the side door she favored as soon as dawn touched the horizon. She'd been disoriented and feverish, and when she had bashfully, triumphantly informed him of her dream, the wash of relief through his veins had fogged what was left of his senses.

And then he'd drowned in lovely, lavender eyes.

But how had he let himself succumb so easily? Itachi was not the type to do anything on impulse, much less embrace a person so intimately. Was it the lack of sleep? Her connection to genjutsu? A flaw in the Mangekyou that Tsunade couldn't fix? His sanity? Maybe the age-old joke of tripping and falling onto someone's lips had more merit than Itachi had originally allowed it.

None of his excuses, however, assuaged the faint anxiety that he overstepped his bounds. And for all his cleverness and insight, he could not be sure. She'd excused herself so quickly afterwards. Had fled. He'd stood there like a fool, but Itachi knew better than to bother her after subjecting her to such a shock.

He wasn't sure if he had the right to.

Itachi wondered if he might even have another chance. Maybe he was a pervert after all, what with following her around and kissing her so abruptly. Perhaps it wasn't a voluntary affliction, and he was doomed to become another Kakashi or Jiraiya. Maybe Hinata sensed that about him, and that was why she had been wary of him.

It might seem ludicrous to any other person, but Itachi found himself questioning much in his life.

"He's been like that the past few days," he heard Sasuke mutter to his teammates. "Just staring off into space and thinking so hard you can practically see the smoke coming out of his ears." Sakura looked at him in worry while Naruto squinted like he was in pain. Or confused.

Itachi refocused his thoughts and pinned his students with a glare over the barbeque grill on the table. "The purpose of our gathering is not to mock the hardships of our comrades."

"Isn't that what we do everyday?" Naruto asked.

"Stop judging him," Sakura translated helpfully. "Itachi-sensei has been busy, which is why we had trouble putting together a team lunch. He must have a lot to think about."

Her expression turned sly. "Hanabi alerted me to the rather odd lack of fangirls around the Hyuuga estates. Coincidentally, there's been a recent wave of depressed girls checking in for counseling. And they all seem to get rather teary at the mention of Itachi and start blubbering about knights in shining armor protecting their ladies." Sakura sighed sympathetically. "Must be hard work to evade the fangirls and somehow also convince them to not bother you and Hinata."

Sasuke gaped at his brother in awe, dark eyes glittering with hero worship reminiscent of his younger self. "Teach me," he whispered. "Please."

Naruto laughed in the background, barely able to avoid snorting barley tea everywhere. "Bastard only gets them angrier or hornier. You could say that his fangirls are..." His blue eyes lit up even as Sakura caught on and gestured threateningly. "...are like a swarm of angry  _horn-ettes_!" He dodged the medic's swing with a guffaw, only to be silenced by a subsequent kick.

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the awful pun and turned back to the elder Uchiha with a calculating look. "So why now? You've never really bothered to make it clear to them - just avoided them like I did."

"It was a satisfactory solution until now."

"You mean until you met Hinata," Sakura clarified not-so-helpfully with a toothy grin. There was something predatory about her gaze that made Itachi nervous.

"That observation does not leave this room," he said stiffly.

"I think that observation has already made it out of the country," Sasuke commented wryly. The corners of Itachi's mouth turned downwards at the thought of anyone else discovering his deeds. He had already been too forward.

"Nonetheless," Itachi reiterated, "it will not be due to any of your actions."

Even as he said it, the Uchiha genius knew it was in vain.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 62: The Guardian - 7**

 

* * *

  

"So you stop people from bothering Hinata. Why is keeping it a secret such a big deal?" Naruto asked, scratching his head in confusion. "Don't girls like it when they have a guardian angel?" Itachi's eye twitched at being called such.

Sakura nodded in agreement, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"I'm sure Hinata would appreciate your efforts. You're a gentleman, unlike these two idiots, so she won't think poorly of your actions even if they seem questionable to you. I mean, It's not like you suddenly attacked her with your lips or anything, neh, Itachi-sensei?"

There was a pause.

Itachi took a sip of tea, neglecting to respond.

"SENSEI, YOU DOG!" Naruto and Sakura screamed in unison.

"That would be Kakashi," he muttered to himself, thankful that he'd reserved a private room at a restaurant that catered to ninja. The muffling jutsus were the only reason he hadn't stoppered their mouths with sizzling meat from the grill.

Itachi eyed the matching grins of wicked glee on Naruto's and Sakura's face with trepidation. It clashed horribly with the stars in their eyes as they clasped their hands in a rather...fangirlish way. Itachi tuned them out when they started chanting the children's song about trees and the progression of courtship. (And just  _what_  was it about Team 7's recent obsession with trees?) Sasuke sat back and crossed his arms, smirking in a way that was somehow more irritating than the screeches of his louder cohorts.

"I'm surprised you held out so long," Sasuke said, nodding sagely. "You've been repressing all your urges for far too long that your body feared that your genes were in danger of extinction. And your primal instincts took over."

"It's happening! It's finally happening!" Naruto yelled in the background, sounding far more waterlogged than Itachi was comfortable with.

The stoic genius glanced around the private booth, weighing the cost of property repairs against the satisfaction of reminding his decidedly-not-cute students that while Uchiha Itachi might have developed a soft spot for a girl, it did not mean that he had gone soft. His was a grievous problem, and he did not see the humor that they found so easily.

A dark aura descended down on Team 7. The three gulped, belatedly realizing their folly of Taking It Too Far.

"I have a thing! A thing that I need to get the thing to do the thing for the thing," Naruto declared as he leaped out the window without bothering to open it first. Sasuke had been replaced by a rather nervous patch of genjutsu that inched itself out the door. Sakura was flirting furiously with a jounin in the adjoining booth, which was quite the feat considering she had to punch a hole in the wall to gain access.

Realizing that she was alone with her rather irritated teacher, Sakura dragged her incredibly confused target into the room and peering around her human shield.

"I will not be paying for this," Itachi said flatly.

"I've starting including property damage in the budget years ago," the pink-haired girl offered, smiled winningly. The effect was greatly diminished by the fact that she was hiding behind a jounin, who was desperately trying to squirm out of her clutches in order to escape the force of the Uchiha glare.

Sakura hushed her protesting shield and proceeded to drag him towards the door, keeping the jounin between her and Itachi the entire time. She paused just before exiting, peeking over the shoulder of her shield.

"I'm really happy for you, sensei" she added with a solemn expression, "All of us. I guarantee that she doesn't hate you. Just talk to her, okay?"

She was wasn't lying, and Itachi found the knot of tension in his stomach loosen.

"I thank you for your support. Even if it is an unwarranted over-reaction," he said with nod. He took another sip of tea. "Now go before the boys think I've gutted you for violin strings or something equally dramatic."

Sakura gulped. "You really need to stop hanging out with Ibiki. It's bad for my health." She disappeared out the door.

He shook his head - Team 7 probably thought they'd gotten away with saddling him with the bill, even though he had intended to treat them. Despite their attempt to abuse his dignity.

Vindictively, Itachi made a mental note to schedule Team 7 psychological evaluations.

After a moment, he edited said note to include an appointment for himself as well.


	10. This Lonely Fortress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which is crack (so much crack), Princess Bride references, and then genre whiplash into angst.

**Chapter 63: This Lonely Fortress - 1**

 

* * *

 

Hinata walked down the hall, lost in thought.

She had difficulty wrapping her mind about what had occurred. Her body throbbed. Particularly her nose. After running into three doors/walls over the span of a few hours, Tsuru had raised one no-nonsense eyebrow and sent Hinata to bed. Everyone else thought it was a reaction to another long-running nightmare that impaired her ability to avoid hard objects. But this time, it was the exact opposite. It was the sweetest dream, the most improbable fantasy that Hinata had never allowed herself to have until...

Until after Itachi had…

after he had…

Her mind blanked as all the blood rushed to her face.

"Careful!"

Hinata caught herself just in time to spare her nose of Door Number 4. She placed a hand on the frame, and laid the other on her chest to calm her heartbeat. When her heart wasn't about to jump out of her throat, Hinata turned to face her younger sister.

"Thank you for warning me, Hanabi-sama."

The younger girl studied her with sharp eyes.

"So, was it consensual?"

Hinata's eyes widened. "P-pardon?"

The girl glared and crossed her arms stubbornly.

"I saw you," she accused, eyes narrowed. When Hinata tried to look confused about their topic, the younger added the classy description of "Sucking face." She rolled her eyes when Hinata checked for eavesdroppers in panic. "There were no witnesses. Not when this is probably the juiciest piece of news since it was discovered that Ayame was pregnant with Kakashi's son." There was a flash a teeth that could be misconstrued as a smile. Hinata recalled that Hanabi had been the center of that wave of gossip.

"Does anyone else know about us...about us k-k-…" Hinata gestured helplessly for a few moments, gave up, and reverted to tapping her indexes finger together, face flushed an even, perfect tomato-red.

Hanabi smirked. "I'll interpret that as a 'yes, and I enjoyed it too'." Hinata couldn't disagree, but it was difficult to do much of anything. She forced her thoughts away from the actual events and focused on damage control. She needed every distraction she could find.

"But did anyone else know?" she pressed. Hanabi shook her head.

"Of course not. It wouldn't be juicy gossip if everyone actually knew the truth."

Hinata had to smile in relief. "Thank you for not telling anyone," she whispered. Her little sister scoffed, but the faint tinge of pink on her cheeks belied her pleasure.

"Don't take me for granted. Next time, I suggest, find a less public setting. I don't need to see that again and it is undignified for a Hyuuga."

"Of course, Hanabi-sama," Hinata said, suppressing a chuckle. "I'll be more careful."

"But even if there are no witnesses, you are Hyuuga," Hanabi said, frowning with careful determination. "If he forgets, he will need to be reminded."

"Reminded?" This time Hinata was truly lost. Surely, Hanabi was not implying that she would be attempting to beat up Itachi he did something wrong. Despite Itachi's steady temper, Hinata doubted being reminded of anything by a snooty teenage girl would go over well.

"Just…" Hanabi clenched her fists. "No ramen. Okay? The restaurant must be worthy and up to Hyuuga standards. Plus, since our clans are not allied yet, diminishing the Uchiha coffers is a good thing."

Hinata tried not to think too hard about what Hanabi was implying. While her sister's support made her unspeakably happy, she wished said support wasn't so...presumptuous of certain events involving a certain Uchiha heir.

"Okay…" Hinata agreed, hoping it was some moot promise that would never be relevant (even if she wanted it to be). This whole conversation was making her lose her tremulous hold of reality (and sanity). She made the vague motions of politely excusing herself.

"Just one more thing," Hanabi added with a stern expression. It did nothing to hide the wicked glint that appeared in her pale eyes. "Tell me, did he use tongue?"

Hinata didn't have time to shake her head before she blushed so hard she fainted.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 64: This Lonely Fortress - 2**

 

* * *

 

It was quite a few days later before they met again, between numerous schedule conflicts and far more numerous doubts.

They eyed each other furtively until Hinata broke under the tension.

"The Mangekyou. Kiss very powerful." A beat. "I-I-I mean  _it's_  very powerful."

"...Yes. It is."

Silence.

"Which makes your ability to warp genjutsu all the more unique."

"Thank you. And only took you a few mouths to figure it out."

"...thank you..."

The attempt at conversation fell flat, like a punctured balloon. But both parties were stubborn.

"Thank you for helping me."

"It was you who won your triumph."

"And I wouldn't have made suck progress if it weren't for you."

"...indeed…"

Hinata played with her fingers. Itachi studiously looked everywhere but her.

More silence. More fidgeting.

Finally, Itachi sighed. He turned to look at her in the eye, expression too blank to be natural. "We are dancing around the subject, Hinata." She gulped, fighting the rising blush she could feel creeping up her neck. They were two grown adults. They will deal with this like mature adults. "First, I must apologize for my lips -" Itachi coughed, a faint pink tinge on his cheeks and Hinata tried to not burn like the sun, " -my  _lapse_  in control."

Then what he was trying to say sunk in. Her buzzing nerves stilled, shrinking into something cold and heavy at the bottom of her stomach. Apologize? Why was he apologizing? Did he think it was a mistake?

The thought that he regretted it caught her breath with a cruel hand. Hinata fought against it, forcing the words out of her throat.

"Nibble mind that!" she blurted. "All that matters that you accomplished what no other could. Though we found a solution, I'd appreciate you giving me some licks on dealing genjutsu."

What was wrong with her? The more aware she was, the worst it got...her slips didn't even make sense anymore. Hinata covered her face no longer caring how it looked, and yet caring so much about what he thought of her that she thought she might combust on the spot.

"It would be best if we continued with our current momentum, as I'm not sure what the tongue-term effects are," she suggested, face muffled by her hands.

Anything to avoid breaking this fragile, beautiful dream. She'll continue to be his test subject for eternity if they could stay like this. If she didn't die from mortification first.

Itachi didn't respond. Hinata peeked at him from between her fingers. He stared at her for a moment, looking as he wanted to say something else. It was so very hard to tell.

"Very well," he agreed. He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes like all his other smiles. Eyes were the window to the soul, but Hinata didn't dare to look too closely.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 65: This Lonely Fortress - 3**

 

* * *

 

Ibiki's back radiated smugness when Itachi entered his office.

"Uchiha, I was wondering when you'd stop by." The scarred man turned in his chair, causing it to squeak ominously. Itachi eyed the mountain of files and scrolls behind him that threatened to avalanche off the desk.

"Don't worry - your pile is far larger," Ibiki informed him magnanimously. "But I don't need to pull your files for today." The man had a terrible sense of humor. Even the worst headcases of the village would not have required a third so much documentation.

Itachi said nothing. Ibiki continued without a hint of discomfort.

"So tell me, why exactly did you request an urgent meeting? Your yearly deadline isn't for another few months." Basic sanity rating were performed by medics at the hospital, but Interrogation handled ninja who knew S-class secrets. Naturally, Ibiki was one of the few that had to the clearance to evaluate Team 7.

"I require a psych evaluation. It has come to my attention that my personal circumstances may have compromised my validity as an elite soldier of Konoha." Itachi frowned at the memory of yesterday's meeting with Hinata. Words failed him. He was so far gone he'd heard Hinata say something kiss-related practically every other sentence. Then she'd skittered away from his single attempt (it was all he could muster the courage for, to his disgust) to broach the subject. "I've lost all ability for negotiation or confrontation. At times, even conversation is difficult."

"You seem to be doing fine now. As for these circumstances?" Ibiki smiled in feral way that was eerily reminiscent of Sakura's when she was on the scent of dirt. "What sort of circumstances?"

"That's classified," Itachi rebuffed, irritated by how Ibiki had zeroed in on the least important point of his report. He needed an evaluation and treatment, not a gossip session digging into every little detail of his life.

Ibiki shrugged. "I can guess. Regardless, I already know your mental health is more than sufficient for missions. Aspects of life outside your career are not technically under Interrogation's jurisdiction." He was laughing at him. Anyone else would be slapping their knee with tears rolling down his face. Ibiki merely looked like he had eaten something bad. (And if that was also the case, Itachi sincerely hoped it was poison.)

At this point, Itachi was mostly resigned to the mocking. Everyone that knew him seemed determined to paint him as a fool in love. He wasn't so arrogant to believe himself immune to the opposite sex, but their mirth was excessive.

"It is if it impinges on the most integral skills of being a shinobi. I do not avoid necessary confrontation. I do not shy away from situational analysis. And I do not succumb to ...baser impulses," he said, distaste lacing the last description. The loss of control was worrying. It was worst of many symptoms, and everyone refused to see the sum of a deeper disease because they were too busy poking fun at him.

"Uchiha, I'd put you on probation if you  _didn't_  have a human impulse every now and then," Ibiki said impatiently. Itachi stared at him, unamused by his jokes.

The interrogator covered his scarred face with a large hand, good humor dissipating like fog on a sunny day. "They do not pay me enough for this…" Itachi waited curiously as Ibiki braced himself, as if he were about to reveal a great and terrible secret.

"Would you miss her if she left?"

Itachi blinked.

"It's not that complicated, Uchiha...would you miss her if she dumped your ass? If not, move on. If yes, ask her on a date before you hurt something from overthinking. I guarantee that's why you're so distracted." Ibiki said through clenched teeth. Itachi frowned.

"You are oversimplifying, thus your proposed solutions are irrelevant. Why would her presence have any bearing on my ability to…" he trailed off mid-protest as his mind finally caught up with his heart.

Because he had somehow already integrated her existence as an essential aspect of his life. After all, just the thought of hurting her irrevocably, of sweeping away the tenuous strands of their relationship, was enough to addle his mind. It was as as destructive as the deprivation of any basic human need.

Because you do not think of air until you were asphyxiating. You do not yearn for sunlight until you were blinded.

Likewise, the effect Hinata had on him would be the most fearsome in her absence.

_Oh..._

Perhaps, it was that simple.

* * *

 

AN: The idea of Ibiki as the 'lurve-doctor' amuses me to no end.

"Uchiha, your homework is to read this Icha Icha novel and take notes. Otherwise, I will mentally torture you until you're conditioned to violently do the chicken dance every time you see your clan symbol."

* * *

 

**Chapter 66: This Lonely Fortress - 4**

* * *

 

"Anything?! " Naruto burst out as soon as Sasuke entered the private booth.

"Agent Inigo Montoya checking in. Progress in Operation Twoo Wuv is…" - Sasuke sighed and he slumped down into his seat. Even his spikey hair seemed to wilt - "...negative."

The esteemed future Rokudaime Hokage of Konohagakure gave a wail of anguish and began hitting his head against the table. Sasuke raised his voice so his report could be heard over the steady sound of wood on wood.

"After Dread Pirate Roberts visited the Clergyman, he mentioned understanding his new goal, but also that he needed to gather more information. Subject was disinclined to further questioning, but it's been over a week and Dread Pirate Roberts has made no moves to approach Buttercup."

"Agent Vizzini reporting," Sakura said. "Progress here was also dismal. The Ancient Booer reported no further reaction from Buttercup except blushing and running into an excessive number of doors. Buttercup has spending most of her time in the kitchens in order to keep busy and mostly likely to avoid missing the Dread Pirate Roberts."

"Fezzik here, and fail," Naruto said, and blew a raspberry to emphasize the degree. "Itachi and HInata haven't met at the Uchiha training grounds since last week. I don't know why, though they were both blushing when they had left. That has to mean something, right?"

"Agent Fezzik, you're supposed to use the code names…"

"Shut up Agent Bastard. Fat lot of good Operation Twoo Wuv is doing!"

Naruto's strident reminder made of all them pause. They sighed in unison. Naruto rested his chin on the table, expression drooping pitifully.

"They're not actually going to do anything, are they?" the blond muttered bitterly. "They're just going to keep pretending nothing happened just because neither of them have ever been through something like this. And they're scared because they like each other so much."

Sakura and Sasuke stared. Naruto growled at them. "What?!"

"Naruto...that was really insightful," the medic praised. Her green eyes sparkled with renewed determination. "And you're right. If they're too scared to do anything, we need to give them that final push."

"I know, I know!" Naruto exclaimed as he raised his hand eagerly as if in class. " I'll turn into Itachi-sensei and ask Hinata on a date."

"That's your solution for everything. And even if your Sexy-Harem isn't actually genjutsu, don't you think Hinata would notice that Uchiha Itachi suddenly changed personalities?" Sakura asked. Naruto gave her a smug look

" _Sakura-chan, your forehead is so charming and large_ …" he simpered in falsetto as he fluttered his eyelashes. " _It makes me want to make-out with it and_ -" He was cut off with a fist to the face, from each of his teammates.

"I was  _twelve_ ," Sakura gritted out the same time as Sasuke insisted that he  _"_ did _not sound like that."_

Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Anyways...we don't need to trick her. I'm sure we can convince Hinata to work with us. The bigger issue is getting Itachi to go. He's only going to get angry, no matter how we approach him about it."

"It's simple," Naruto said with a wince as he rubbed his new bruises. "We just let him think that we tricked Hinata into it, and he'll have to go to save her. She's a stickler for manners and punctuality, right?"

"That works...though that still doesn't solve the issue of him getting mad at us," Sasuke commented. "I'd rather keep my sanity."

"He's already scheduled us for early evals with Ibiki," Sakura soothed uncertainly. "He won't do anything to us that will actually put us on probation...right? Right guys?"

"You need to work on your bedside manner if that's how you're comforting patients…" Sasuke muttered after a beat. "Remember when Naruto tried to prank him and Itachi retaliated by framing us for painting the entire merchant sector orange...including the merchants? Remember when we had to work at the bathhouses for months afterwards?"

Naruto and Sakura paled at the memory of all the saggy bodies they had to help scrub.

"It's a good thing that sensei hates Ibiki, neh?" she said weakly, her complexion taking on a hue that matched her eyes. "Those two working together…" Sakura was unable to finish. All three of them shuddered.

Naruto took a deep breath and let it out. "Itachi-sensei's a precious person. It's for his own good. So I'm willing to risk it. B-Believe it!" His catchphrase was whispered like a prayer.

Team 7 exchanged wary glances and nodded in solemn camaraderie. They were the soldiers, and Hinata was the secret weapon. They would prepare the battlefield, but after that, it was all up to her.

If it didn't work out, the consequences would be inconceivably horrible.

* * *

 

**Chapter 67: This Lonely Fortress - 5**

 

* * *

 

Hinata fidgeted uncomfortably under the weight of three pairs of eyes. Itachi's students, the (in)famous Team 7, faced her with grim expressions. The slanted lighting didn't help and casted strange shadows across their faces.

"Hanabi-san said you had business with me?" she asked. The three exchanged a look, before Sasuke leaned forward, lacing his fingers together in front of his mouth.

"Hinata-san, what are you thoughts on my brother?"

She paused.

She turned bright red and suddenly found her hands very interesting.

"Excellent…" Sasuke murmured with a wide smirk. "We would like your cooperation in getting you and Itachi together." Hinata began to protest, but the younger kept speaking, leaving her no chance to make a sound. "I have a gift for you, a little proof that we're serious. It was incredibly difficult to secure, but now you have it, you must guard this with your life. No one must discover our exchange. Do you understand?"

Hinata's thoughts skittered astray, clinging onto to anything that wasn't the reason for her tomato complexion.

"So...that's why we're gathered at a ramen stand?" she asked skeptically after a beat, surprising herself with how snarky it sounded. The group glanced at Ayame, who waved at them at them from behind the counter. The little silver-haired boy strapped to her back cooed and copied his mother.

"Oy, Hinata-chan, don't diss the Ramen," Naruto grumbled. He turned to pout at Sasuke. "Bastard...you were being too dramatic." His attention jumped back to Hinata, giving her an uncomfortable sense of whiplash. "Basically what this jerk is saying is that if you tell Itachi-sensei we came to you with this, we'll be in big trouble."

Hinata couldn't help but be curious.

"What are you giving me?"

Naruto grinned with far too many teeth. "His diary." He removed a scroll from his vest pocket and snapped it open with aplomb. He cleared his throat. "Dear Diary," he read in a deep, serious voice, "I have fallen madly in love with Hinata. She is the star of my eyes, the apple of my sky. I like her hair and her face and definitely her large, round -"

"Don't mind him," Sakura said sweetly as she plucked the scroll from Naruto's twitching fingers and flicked it open to reveal childish doodles on a what appeared to be a mission report form for a D-rank mission. "This isn't the actual scroll."

Hinata blinked her large, round eyes.

"I see. Is...the Rokudaime going to be alright?" Naruto would have a lovely footprint-shaped bruise on his face tomorrow morning, courtesy of the medic Haruno Sakura.

Sasuke shrugged. "Hazards of the job," he said, as if that explained everything. Oddly enough, Hinata felt it did. She wondered if it was a warning sign of her own burgeoning insanity.

He pulled another scroll from his vest pocket and placed it on the counter. "Itachi meticulously logs his notes for his projects. He sealed it so only those he trusts can open it, even if he doesn't specifically key them in - sort of a failsafe if something happens to him. But after we tried to use it to avoid bathhouse duty," - he shook his head, don't ask - "he's keyed it so we can't open until he hasn't written in it for three months."

Sasuke attempted to untie the ribbon around the scroll, only to have chakra zap his fingers. He turned his palm to Hinata, showing the blistering skin as proof before extending it to Sakura who healed it.

"But he wouldn't key it against you."

Hinata looked between the scroll and Sasuke's hand, wondering if she should run for it. But she'd missed Itachi, and his students wanted to help, and…

Hesitantly, Hinata used her thumb and index to tug at one end. The ribbon slid loose without any chakra zaps, the scroll unfurled easily. Bolstered by the honor of Itachi's trust, she turned to Team 7, blushing under their eager gazes.

"So what's the plan?" she whispered.

* * *

 

**Chapter 68: This Lonely Fortress - 6**

* * *

 

 

 

Later, in the privacy of her own home, Hinata unfurled the scroll to read further. it really was as Sasuke had said - Itachi meticulously, religiously documented his experiments. His observations, his methods, and the endless connections that only a genius could discover. Feeling like a voyeur, Hinata skimmed enough to pick out sections of her name before reading.

... _mindscape incredibly flexible, perhaps similar to Sakura's unusual compartmentalization…natural defense against any attempt to steal information from the mind directly...unfortunate side effects render this method an inefficient technique..._

... _level of integration with the chakra is beyond words...essentially, the perfect genjutsu victim if Hinata-san remains passive. If not, her ability could be trained into the perfect trap, though currently it would be of little use to a Branch member…_

His observations were blunt, yet Hinata found herself flattered. He did not seek to emphasize or minimize any weaknesses or strengths. It was the perfect truth, and it was far more stomachable than Hinata had thought.

It took her moment to realize that she'd reached the end of his musings on his experiments with her. The last entry mentioning such was a clear, concise summary of all the tests he wanted to perform in the future. Except the date meant that he'd stopped chronicling their progress weeks ago. Later entries only centered around his own self-diagnosis for various mental disorders. Which all were coincidentally right after he'd kissed her.

Faint hope, like spring's first bud, bloomed in her chest. His experiments were an excuse to see her, even if he'd been avoiding her (and her him). And he was more affected that she'd thought. Hinata had to smile.

Then her gaze drifted down the empty page to a cluster of absent scribbles that she'd originally dismissed.

_Hizashi. Hiashi. Hanabi._

_Tsuru. Neji. Hikaru - late mother_

_Why Hizashi?_

The scroll fell from her numb fingers, landing on the floor with a dull thunk.

It was an obvious pattern, once someone thought about it. Those meant for the Main Family were named after the sun. Those meant for the Branch Family were not.

But the rules were meant to be broken. It was a secret that only those with access to the most secret hospital records would know - Hikaru had been born out of wedlock, between a Branch Hyuuga father had been Branch Hyuuga and a mother that hadn't understood the workings of the Hyuuga. Hikaru's father had found about his daughter only when she appeared years later on the Hyuuga doorstep.

And of course, there was Hinata. Everyone knew of the fallen clan heir, relegated to Branch in order to make way for her younger sister.

And finally, there was her late uncle. Younger by mere minutes, and yet doomed to a life of servitude for it. The smart ones learned to ignore it, to simply accept that twins needed matching names, and Hizashi's parentage was enough to win him an out-of-place name.

But with Itachi's background in Uchiha politics and persistence in chasing answers, it was inevitable that he would unearth the dirt under that manure as well. That family only took root within the fenced boundaries of between the Main and Branch families.

That Hyuuga Hizashi wasn't supposed to be in the Branch Family.

Even as one of her clan's secrets was so close to being brought to light by an outsider, Hinata's mind couldn't break away from her own spiraling despair, thoughts spinning around themselves until she felt dizzy.

Nothing about Itachi was by accident.

She was just another piece of a larger puzzle.

* * *

 

**Chapter 69: This Lonely Fortress - 7**

 

* * *

 

 

 

Itachi stared at toad summon on his desk.

...they did  _what_ …?

"So...I'm gonna go now…" the toad croaked nervously. He dispelled himself before Itachi could.

The Uchiha heir shook his head. He will think on vengeance later. He teleported to the Edge, where Hinata had already waited for him for nearly half an hour. He found her aura quickly. She was outside, hiding from the bulk of the crowds of the night. Itachi wondered if he should have brought an extra coat - hers looked far too thin for the falling temperatures.

"I need to explain," he said as soon as she turned to him. "Whatever communication you thought you received from me regarding this...it was not my doing."

Hinata looked up. There was something about her expression that chilled Itachi, far more than the cold autumn night.

"I'm aware," she said. She looked down on her hands. "I'm only here for convenience because I wanted to talk you."

"Would you want to step inside?" She was shivering, but she shook her head, her dark hair hiding her face.

"I will loose my nerve, if there is delay, so please don't say anything until I'm done." Hinata exhaled slowly, her breath fogging in a long curling stream. She scrubbed her hands together and looked at him straight on with guarded eyes.

"I may be falling for you, Uchiha Itachi."

He stared at her, speechless even if she hadn't asked it. Discomfitted, she looked back down at her feet.

"I'm falling for you, and that can  _not_   _be_ ," she clenched her fists. Her scars stood out, stark and white. "Maybe I'm presumptuous, maybe I'm overthinking it, but the next step...the next step is love. I think you know loving and being loved." Hinata voice was softer than a breath, but Itachi listened. Because he was too shocked to do much else. Because somehow, he knew this might be more important than anything else she might ever say to him. "But I don't think you  _know_  love."

Her next words became a tumble of thoughts, until not even she could control the momentum of truth and half-truths behind them. "Most things in life are probably better in practice than in theory, but reckless, thoughtless love isn't useful to anyone. And I can't but be afraid that love that happens by accident can't last, because it can just as accidentally fade. So it requires more than just the heart. I have to believe that love is in the heart and mind and soul and every part of you that you can give and then some. It has to be a whole, deliberate choice."

"Hinata…what are you saying?" All the clues, all the hints - they were coalescing into an awful, heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

She glanced at him, and then her eyes darted away just as quickly. She hugged herself, until for a moment, she seemed to fade away. "It has to be a deliberate choice," she reaffirmed, more for herself than him. "Since you can't reciprocate that, I...think we should cease this farce."

_Since you can't reciprocate that..._

She looked up with heartbreak eyes -  _heartbreaker, heart-breaking, heartbroken_  - and smiled politely.

"You have a good night, Uchiha-san."

She bowed, and left him frozen in the pale streetlight, with her voice still ringing in his ears like the toll of a great bell. Ringing, ringing, and heralding an earth-shaking revelation.

 

* * *

 

P.S. Also, chapter 69 (hurr hurr hurr) requires something special...so a mini-omake, dedicated to yusav, alee26606, and Ibiki's "homework" assignment.

**Omake**

* * *

 

Kakashi scratched his head. He wasn't that sick, but Ayame had insisted that he take medication. Perhaps this was a side-effect of medication plus sleep deprivation? It  _was_  an ungodly hour in the morning.

"Come again?" he asked blearily.

"Kakashi, I need to borrow your adult fiction collection," Itachi gritted out.

The famous Copy-Cat lifted his forehead protector, Sharingan spinning skeptically. Hmmm...this wasn't some sort of genjutsu cooked up by Team 7, was it? After the whole scandal that erupted from his relationship with Ayame, Naruto had taken personal insult and embarked on a grueling campaign against him. The slew of pranks had petered out...unless that was part of a deeper plan. Underneath the underneath, after all.

"But... _why_?"

Itachi glared, expression frozen in one of do-not-ask-on-pain-of-Mangekyou. "I prefer to not leave my mark in the records of the bookstores. As for my personal reasons…that's  _classified_."

Kakashi shook his head. "I don't believe you, Fake-Itachi-san."

"I am not fake," was the stiff reply. "I only require one book, and -" He broke as he felt the approaching chakras of ANBU. "What did you do?"

"Konoha has a strict policy against infiltrators," Kakashi said with an eye-smile. "Though I commend you for your - ah - creative disguise, Uchiha Itachi would never ask for my porn. That's about as likely as him doing the chicken dance."

The impostor's eyes widened with some akin to fear in his expression. Yup, definitely not the real thing.

"Hatake, you misund-"

Kakashi shooed him away with a large yawn. "Make your excuses to Ibiki, our Head of Torture and Interrogation." Then he shut the door in the imposter's face.

Secure in the fact that he'd foiled another devious plot by enemy nin and kept Konoha safe for one more day, Kakashi returned to bed, kissed his wife and child, and went back to sleep.


	11. Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which is ...a lot of angst and meddling family members.

**Chapter 70: Storm - 1**

 

* * *

 

Nothing about Itachi was by accident.

She still believed that, still had to. Because otherwise everything she thought she knew of him would be a facade - another genjutsu, another dream. She had to believe it even if it meant he'd been using her all along.

She forced one foot before the other. It hurt now, but it could have hurt enough to break more than just her heart. But she had stopped before it was too late. So she'll take the excruciating agony now, because it was her payment for daring to think herself more than she was. She was Branch. She was the gatekeeper to the Hyuuga secrets, the clues, and one foot in the door was enough for Itachi to ruin everything.

"Hinata. Stop..." Then he was standing in front of her, with more emotion than she'd ever witnessed in his black eyes. It scared her. "Is that what you really think of me? That...whatever  _this_  is...it's just a side-effect of some deeper plot?"

He was furious. But even worse was the deep, deep agony that hid behind the maelstrom of wrath.

"Don't belittle me," he said quietly, with a calm that made her shiver. She had never seen him like this. Hinata could only listen, her turn to be dumbstruck.

"You're not even giving me a chance. 'Since you can't reciprocate...'? You are so sure you are the only one capable of sacrifice. Every time I step outside to defend this village I love, it is a deliberate choice. Every time I train, it's not for the glory, but so I can be strong enough to protect Konoha and the people that make up this village. From the moment I could remember, everything I did was driven by the choice to love Konoha for all its flaws. Every mission is an affirmation of that choice. My heart, my body, my soul and everything that I have to give - those are all a small cost to protect those that are precious to me."

She thought her heart couldn't break further for him, for her false accusations that hurt him so.

Then Itachi's next words shattered her.

"I can and will give everything. That is the meaning of being a true shinobi."

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 71: Storm - 2**

* * *

 

Even before he finished his sentence, Itachi knew he'd struck too low. Years of repeating the meanings and codes and rules and justifications of being a shinobi made the words roll off his tongue thoughtlessly over the lubricant of his anger.

He was a shinobi, a soldier who protected Konoha. It was the very core of his existence. To him, duty was love, and she'd so easily dismissed his service, his loyalty. In essence, she'd questioned his ability to love, be it for an individual or for a village. Even worse, he could not fathom why she was attacking him and could only defend against her vague, almost incoherent accusations. (Then again, he was resigned to the fact that all the sturdy threads of his logic and control frayed for anything that had to do with Hinata.)

But that was no excuse to lord his status over hers. Not when the crux of her vulnerability was her failure as a ninja of the Hyuuga.

Hinata broke.

There was no other way to summarize the excruciating way her features crumbled, the way she flinched as if he'd physically struck her, the way her trust for him turned to dust.

The way his chest hollowed away at the sight of it all.

"Wait, Hinata, I'm sorry. I did not intend to -"

She turned to flee. He grabbed her wrist, but she recoiled from him, looking back at him with the those enormous, fractured eyes. Itachi did not miss the dried tear tracks on her cheeks.

She had already been crying.

He watched as she ran away from him, further and further, until she was lost to him.

Hinata rushed past Hanabi on the way to the her room, and despite her sister's calls, she slammed the door behind her. The strength that drove her dissipated, and Hinata slumped back against the frame and slid down to the floor.

"Hinata?" Hanabi didn't knock. She heard her sit down on the other side. Neither of them spoke, and Hinata almost begged her to leave her alone.

_I can and will give everything. That is the meaning of being a true shinobi._

He was correct. It hurt because it was the truth.

She was hiding, flinching away from the things she feared and the consequences for them. It defined all her choices, and she used every excuse she could find to justify them. It was to the point that she could no longer tell if picking a fight with Itachi to push him away an act of wisdom or cowardice. Was she protecting her clan or just herself? Because she could never betray the her clan. Not when her self-identity was so hopelessly tangled with her family.

She was Hyuuga. She was Branch.

Then, a rare spark of rebellion burned in her veins.

"I love him," Hinata whispered, a confession out of spite. Already loved him, far more than she'd dared to admit until now.

There was a pause.

"Idiot," Hanabi murmured. The warmth of her sister's back through the shoji door was steady and strong. Hinata clutched her knees like a child, and began to weep in perfect silence.

* * *

 

**Chapter 72: Storm - 3**

* * *

 

 

Sasuke stared at Itachi's closed door. He could sense his brother's controlled chakra on the other side, though this time, there was a thrum of tension through it that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.

Something was horribly wrong.

Itachi had returned late, appearing as if he'd spent his time at the training grounds rather than on a date. He'd walked past Sasuke without even seeing him. This had been the part of their familiar script where Itachi was supposed to lecture him, to poke him on the forehead and promise retribution to his cute little students. But there had been no threats of forced counseling, no hints at hellish training schedules...nothing.

"Itachi?" No response. Sasuke knocked again. "Itachi?" Nothing."...Aniki?"

"Please leave me be, Sasuke." Itachi sounded tired, even beaten. Sasuke flinched at the lack of the favored epithet and what remained of his courage fled. He could guess the why, but he wasn't sure he wanted to know the how of what made Itachi act like this.

Sakura and Naruto were just as lost as he was. Hanabi was refusing all contact from Sakura, and Naruto's clones hadn't been able to get close enough except to report that Hinata and Itachi had spoken, and then parted ways. After several days of no change, Sasuke decided to go back to the source and pay a visit to the Hyuuga estates.

"Uchiha-sama, you're not welcome here," one of the guards said coldly.

"Let someone of importance be the judge of that," he sneered. The guards couldn't actually prevent him from calling on Hiashi, even if they all knew it was just an excuse to gain entrance. Sasuke smirked when the guards grudgingly let him in.

He made it approximately five steps into the courtyard.

Sasuke neatly evaded the blur of hands glowing with blue chakra, turning to face the Hyuuga heir when he was a safe distance away. Energy seemed to hum around her. She was  _livid_.

"Out," she snarled as she charged him again. Sasuke leaned just out of reach, repressing the urge to activate his Sharingan. He'd fought Neji before, and somehow, this brat was even faster. He leaped high to gain himself some time, knowing that the Hyuuga family Jyuuken had poor range and mobili-

Hanabi matched him with an equally high jump, unrelenting in her attack. Her dark hair streamed around her like snakes, pale eyes turning his soul to stone.

Sasuke suddenly realized that he'd taken on Akatsuki less scary than the demon before him. Vaguely he remembered Sakura's lectures about a phrase regarding hell and women scorned. Sasuke frowned in thought as he twisted midair and landed on the roof. He immediately jumped away again, with Hanabi on his heels.

Did Sakura mention anything about overprotective brat sisters?

Fingers skimmed his shoulder. Sasuke's eyes widened when his left arm went numb. When did that happen? Cursing, he flickered through the one-handed seals of a mid-range fireball. Just enough to singe the ends of her hair a little. He drew in a deep breath.

"What is going on?"

Hiashi's voice was a crash of thunder through the chaos, and just as effective in enforcing subsequent silence. Sasuke choked back back his heated chakra as he and Hanabi dropped to the ground. They bowed their heads.

"Nothing, Father," was the meek reply. "Sasuke-kun and I were just sparring."

If either noticed the faint smoke curling from Sasuke's ears and nose, neither mentioned it.

"I see," Hiashi said skeptically. He was interrupted by an older Hyuuga who drew him into a murmured exchange.

"...hasn't been sleeping at all...hasn't reported..."

Sasuke leaned forward, pushing chakra into his ears.

"Have the nightmares worsened, then, Hiyoshi-san?"

Hiyoshi nodded grimly. "She'd taken wandering the kitchens more. Hikaru tried to get her to talk, but she won't say what happened between her and that Uch-"

Hanabi took the opportunity to elbow him in the ribs, conveniently closing two tenketsu that made it painful to breath. Sasuke wheezed indignantly. The Hyuuga head dismissed Hiyoshi with a nod and looked back at him with a knowing look in his eyes.

"Uchiha-san?" Hiashi asked for confirmation. "Is what Hanabi says true?"

"Just...sparring..." Sasuke managed. Any other reason would imply he was trespassing. He won't cause more trouble for Itachi.

Even if a certain annoying brat deserved a good beatdown.

* * *

 

**Chapter 73: Storm - 4**

* * *

 

Hinata politely poured the tea for Hiashi and Hiyoshi, who were seated across the table from her. Her hands trembled, but neither commented when a few stray drops splashed the table. She set the teapot down and demurely folded her hands in her lap.

"This morning, young Uchiha Sasuke was found on our premises," Hiashi said bluntly. She was glad she had neglected her tea, for she would have surely dropped her cup. "Would this hold any relevance to your meetings with his elder brother?"

Hinata winced. "Ano...no," she stuttered. "I don't know why he was here." She made the mistake of glancing up, and met the clan head's unreadable gaze. Hinata quickly ducked her head, hating how looking at her father made her feel like an awkward child again. It was a disconcerting feeling of not-quite-right, compounded by her string of sleepless nights. "We ended our agreement over a week ago."

"Oh?" Hiyoshi frowned at her with disapproval. "And you did not see fit to inform anyone of this? Just what was the reason for this termination?"

Hinata bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. Ninja were trained to see a lie before it was even spoken, and for the Hyuuga...they could see a lie before it was even thought. "I was bewildered, Hiyoshi-sama," she admitted. "I feared the discovery of Hyuuga secrets, and our continued fraternization would have...sped up the process."

"Fugaku's eldest is a bright one, isn't he?" Hiashi mused.

"Annoyingly so," groused the council elder. But he did not allow Hiashi's admiration deter him from his questioning, and he pinned Hinata with a narrow-eyed glare. "Which secret?"

Hinata hesitated. "The timing of the execution of Hyuuga Yami and my uncle's sealing." Hiashi's lips thinned into a white line.

"Unfortunately, even though it is old history, anyone with access to hospital and ANBU records can eventually make the connection, provided they are reasonably intelligent," Hiyoshi said grudgingly. "How long have you known?" He eyed Hinata with a canny expression. "And just how much?"

"It was when I was taught the history of our clan." Back when she was still a member of the Main family. A small voice in the back of her mind berated her for standing out, for drawing their attention. Her tutors had taken care to present the events in a benign manner that made them seem unrelated, but it was obvious to Hinata.

Hyuuga Yami, a member of the Branch family, had attempted to stage an uprising. Even more embarrassing for the Hyuuga was that it had almost succeeded. ANBU had to intervene, but fortunately the worst of the mess was kept from the Council and the rest of the village.

In the end, Branch was appeased with, amongst other things, a hostage of trust and goodwill. Hyuuga Hizashi, second born son of the Main family head, had been that hostage.

There was a long silence after she explained what she'd inferred. Even on command, sharing her conclusions made the small voice in Hinata's head scream -  _can't let the Bad Man find her and squeeze out her secrets, must hide, must hide, mustn't tell._  She was spewing the secrets, the weaknesses, that she was supposed to protect. The mere act of telling, even to people who already knew, made her feel sick.

"I fear...that I have misjudged you," Hiashi murmured. He stood abruptly and headed for the door. "I need to talk to Fugaku," he said as he paused to wait for Hiyoshi. "And Hinata." She looked up. Her father's eyes studied her, and then softened slightly. "You did right to tell us your fears. This is no longer your worry, so try to get some rest."

* * *

 

**Chapter 74: Storm - 5**

* * *

 

 

Every good ninja had a routine.

When compartmentalization wasn't enough to organize the horrors of the world into neat boxes - one for betrayal, one for brutality, and three for blood - and the mind couldn't take the strain of it anymore, the body took over. Wake up, eat, fulfill duties, back to sleep. Wait for further instructions.

_Wait for yourself to heal._

But a week into his routine, Itachi realized that it wasn't working. It wasn't like when he'd kissed Hinata, and could still pretend to detach himself from the act, step back and be distracted by the reasons why he'd acted impulsively. The heavy, sick feeling at the back of his throat wouldn't wash away no matter how much tea he drank. It was exhausting to be constantly so miserable, and have no way to ameliorate his guilt.

He couldn't override his own misgivings and sweep his regrets under the rug of duty, of morality or for the greater good. This wasn't wrangling cooperation from Uchiha elders or manipulating wayward students or perfect destruction of the opponent. There was no end goal, no neat measure of success or failure or good enough. There was no enemy ninja to defeat, no princess to save.

There was no mission.

He wasn't the shinobi, the soldier. She wasn't the the target tucked away in a fortress. So his age-old formulas were useless, because all he had were for the soldier, and never simply the man. But in times of peace, maybe even the heartless were allowed a measure of love.

He was above playing semantics to soothe his own dignity. Perhaps it was love. What he felt for Hinata was certainly not something he'd ever experienced, and he'd been wary of it like a ninja studying a new threat, a new strange enemy.

Itachi slowly exhaled.

Hinata knew him better than he thought.

But how to rectify this? What could he say? It had been difficult enough to talk to her even before she hated him.

Itachi's thoughts were interrupted by Mikoto quietly set a plate of sliced apples on the table by his elbow.

"Thank you, Mother," he said. She didn't say anything and only patted his arm kindly before heading out of the living room.

"Wait." Mikoto turned to look at him with a quizzical expression of...was that  _anticipation_?

"I have acted poorly," Itachi said carefully, reluctantly. "If you could offer your advice how to fix my conundrum, I would appreciate it."

Mikoto gave him a calculating look. "Is this about Hyuuga Hinata?"

He sighed. "Indeed, I'm afraid it -"

She grinned in way that made Itachi pause. That was not an expression that belonged on mother's face. Or any sane human's face, at that.

"I'm glad you asked, Itachi-kun…"

He hoped his sequence of horrific mistakes ended with asking his mother for advice on girls.

* * *

 

**Chapter 75: Storm - 6**

* * *

 

 

After Mikoto pried the worst of it from him, she'd given Itachi a look of relief, of all things. Had she really been so worried?

"I think, you need to reassure her that you will support her," his mother said after a long moment of thought. "I can guess that the poor girl has had a difficult life, in that clan. Though ours is not much different in many ways." Itachi nodded, Mikoto looked at him, indecision in her eyes. "After all," she said delicately, "just like the Uchiha, the Hyuuga was nearly destroyed by a coup."

Itachi looked at her sharply.

"Not exactly common knowledge, even for handsome young geniuses like you," Mikoto said with a slight smirk. Itachi repressed the urge to roll his eyes, but patiently waited for her to explain. "The Hyuuga wanted it kept secret that Branch almost overthrew the Main Family forty years ago, so the Hokage had all the ANBU records classified only for his and Hyuuga eyes. But the Uchiha Police is not under ninja jurisdiction, and your grandfather kept careful notes on the whole matter." A quick mental calculation revealed that the current Hyuuga head would have been no more than ten-years-old.

"Why hasn't this matter been...utilized?" Itachi would have heard of such a dirt and the Uchiha council would surely want the leverage over the Hyuuga. He wondered if this had any relation to the Uchiha plans for rebellion as well.

"Unless pushed, it wasn't my father's secret to tell - it's the Hyuuga's. Just like how Danzo's orders are yours."

Itachi frowned. She couldn't possibly be implying...but before Itachi could question his mother further, Fugaku strode into the living room.

His father gestured for him to follow. Itachi obeyed, trailing after him. When he glanced back at Mikoto for some sort of clue, she only winked at him.

"I had a rather...interesting meeting with Hiashi," his father said when they gathered in his office. Itachi remained impassive, though he braced himself to the possibility that the Hyuuga head would require recompense. "He outright asked what the Uchiha knew about the Hyuuga rebellion - your mother has briefed you on the matter?."

"Yes, Father." Itachi felt trapped by the dual effort of his parents.

"Good, and of all things, Hiashi has offered to reveal what reconnaissance the Hyuuga has on the Uchiha. Wants to clear the air between the clans…" The Uchiha clan head shook his head in consternation. "That man has changed since Hinata's kidnapping, not that I blame him, but he is nothing like when we worked together in ANBU," he muttered.

Itachi knew the stories, though he tended to take the anecdotes supporting the existence of "a stick the size of his ego up that white-eyed bastard's ass" with a grain of salt. His parents were funny when intoxicated, and endless wells of interesting bits of information on their contemporaries.

Of course, they never remembered it and vehemently denied everything next morning. But they were ninja to end, after all, as no one ever mentioned anything about the Hyuuga secrets until now.

"Father, what is your concern?"

A long sigh. "Itachi, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that you will become clan head within the next few years."

"Yes, Father."

"And the council has already begun to grumble about future heirs."

"Yes...Father…"

"It would be good practice if you take point in these negotiations."

"Father." This time, Itachi couldn't quite keep from gritting his teeth. The smirk pulled at Fugaku's mouth was eerily like Sasuke's whenever his foolish little brother supported one of Naruto's ridiculous pranks. "You don't mean…"

"Yes Itachi, you have a meeting with Hiashi tomorrow morning at 9am. I believe his daughter Hinata has been kindly volunteered as the scribe for the meeting."

* * *

 

**Chapter 76: Storm - 7**

* * *

 

All good Hyuuga had a routine, especially those in Branch.

When patience and understanding wasn't enough to file away the dirty politics of the clan into neat boxes - one for betrayal, one for brutality, and three for blood - and the mind couldn't take the strain of it anymore, the body took over. Wake up, eat, fulfill duties, back to sleep. Wait for further instructions.

_Wait for yourself to heal._

She wasn't a fool. Hiashi's intervention offered the relief that there were no dire consequences from her time with Itachi, but Hinata didn't harbor into any illusions about the state of her relationship with Itachi. Not after how she'd angered him.

It was an hollow triumph that she knew what would upset him.

Hinata wasn't a stranger to quiet tears and to quiet heartbreak. So she accepted that she was hurting, breathed it in and let it go in the same breath, and then dutifully carried out her responsibilities. If her smile seemed a little more forced, if her dark circles were a little darker, and if her focus a little less, it didn't impact her work.

Angst won't feed a clan of hungry people, no matter how much some of the teenaged Hyuuga tried to prove otherwise. Hinata only shook her head and left a tray of their favorites outside their door, taking care to include extra sweets and comfort food.

It worried her than Hikaru had been indisposed for nearly two weeks, complaining of migraines. Hinata had been distracted by Itachi at the time, and missed the inception of it and therefore the signs to determine if it was an ailment of the mind or the body.

"Hikaru-san," she said, knocking lightly. "I'm leaving some food for you."

To her surprise, the door slid open. Hikaru glared at her, eyes bloodshot and swollen as if she'd been crying.  _She likes Itachi_ , Hinata realized. Kindly, she didn't say anything. Hikaru sullenly stared at her, clutching her head.

"It would have been better if you were a normal Hyuuga," the girl rasped. They stared at each other for a long moment. Hikaru took the tray from Hinata's numb hands and shut the door with more force than necessary.

Hinata stared at the closed door. Slowly, she mimicked the younger girl's gesture, hand on her forehead. She could feel her seal burning, her cheeks burning. She was Branch, but the old Main Family pride was still a bright flame in her.

She could almost see Itachi's questioning expression as he ripped apart the thought with logic.  _Why not? What are the exact reasons that detract from such a relationship? Why does strength factor in this?_

This wasn't some mission.

_You are more capable than you think._

Her routine wasn't working. The spark of rebellion returned and this time it was an uncontrollable fire. Suddenly, the perfect, uniform lines of the hallway around her felt more like the bars of a cage rather than a familiar haven. The quiet existence bereft of uncertainty and chaos and fear and anything at all was too loud, too empty.

The pattern had to be broken or she will scream.

She told Tsuru she needed to go for a walk, but it was closer to a run, with the cold air searing in her lungs. Her feet knew where - she'd made the journey to that door countless times in her dreams.

She knocked. The door opened to reveal a confused Kurenai. "Hinata?...How may I help you?"

The Hyuuga took a slow, deep breath.

"Let me try again, Kurenai-sensei," she whispered. "Please test me again for genin."


	12. What Lies in Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which ItaHina gets back on track thanks to excessive meddling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kyokki = 'rays of the rising sun'
> 
> Hikaru is an OC Branch member mentioned a few times before.

**Chapter 77: What Lies in Truth - 1**

* * *

 

She was in the forest. It was so early even the birdsong seemed sleepy. The veil of fog made everything seem like a dream.

She heard footsteps behind her, and turned to see Hiashi walking towards her.  _We're in the Hyuuga glen_ , she realized. Konoha was named for its lush greenery. The first fire jutsu was allegedly created to burn down trees to make room for homes in some places and to encourage growth in others. Every noble clan owned some amount of forested land.

"Father," she said. The word rolled easily off her tongue, even though she should be addressing him as "Lord Hyuuga".

Fortunately, he didn't acknowledge her mistake. "Give me the scroll."

Hinata obediently reached into her sleeve, though she certainly didn't remember when she'd put it there. She wasn't sure if it was habit or respect, but the end result was all that mattered. Hiashi reached out a hand, palm out.

Then, she hesitated.

Hyuuga hands were notoriously uncalloused and scar-free due to the nature of Jyuuken. But she remembered as small child, when her father had held her and she'd looked at his large, strong hands with wonder. Hiashi had three small scars on one hand, each with a story behind it. Hinata had to think for a moment - was it the left or the right hand?

In her moment of indecision, the scars on this man's hands shifted.

This wasn't reality.

"I can't," she whispered and backed away, ready to run. "You are not Hyuuga Hiashi." Her voice shook, because what if it really was the Hyuuga clan head?

Then he grew horns and roared as wings burst out his back. The Hiashi-monster charged her, his claws spread out for her.  _The Bad Man was going to catch her, kill her, consume her-_  she screamed, but didn't run.

... _you are more capable than you think_...she whispered to herself and braced herself. This wasn't reality. "Reveal your true identity!" Hinata's voice rang thin, but it pierced the fog, the fear nonetheless.

The monster disappeared, leaving a rather surprised young woman with dark, curling hair and red eyes.

"Please cancel the genjutsu, Kurenai-sensei."

The illusion around them faded, with both of them shaking. Kurenai clutched her head and winced.

"Well, this is new," she said with a pained smile. "Anyone unwelcome in your mind gets rewarded with a lovely little headache."

"I'm sorry," Hinata said immediately. Kurenai started to shake her head, but quickly stopped. She staggered, and Hinata stepped forward to catch her elbow.

"No," the jounin said. "It is a good thing. My test had two parts - if you had to courage to try, and to see if you could handle yourself should an enemy nin ever try to trick you. For ninja, information is the most powerful weapon. So the determined guardian is the greatest ninja." Kurenai smiled proudly. "You've gotten stronger, Hinata. My genjutsu was much more powerful than before, and you handled it wonderfully - both your fear and your vulnerability." Here, she winked and Hinata found herself wishing she had pushed through the first time, because she saw a glimpse of the older sister/mother she could have gained. "I suppose all your work with a certain handsome, talented Uchiha has born fruit. Congratulations."

Hinata blushed, and then smiled for the first time since she'd fought with Itachi.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 78: What Lies in Truth - 2**

* * *

 

Hinata paused, her hand hovering inches from the Hyuuga clan head's office door. Her new forehead protector weighed heavily in her pocket. Kurenai had warned her of the situation. Despite passing the genin test, Hinata could only officially become genin with Hiashi's approval. Her paperwork had long expired and would need to be resubmitted.

Was it already too late?

"Come in Hinata." She jumped. She hadn't knocked yet, but it was inevitable that she would be discovered after doddering outside his door for so long. Hinata obeyed and greeted her father with a bow. He nodded from his seat behind his desk.

"Sorry to bother you…" she said. Hiashi shook his head.

"I have a matter I need to speak to you of anyways." When Hinata waited, he waved for her to speak first. Unfortunately, her tongue had suddenly melded itself to the roof of her mouth. Hinata shakily pulled the forehead protector from her pocket and extended for her clan head to see. The silver gleamed bright and new, untested metal for proven mettle.

Hiashi froze.

"I passed," Hinata whispered hastily, alarmed by his silence. "Yesterday."

He stood and exited the room. She felt tears prickle her eyes like needles. What had she been thinking? She would be seven years older than all the other new genin, too old and too clumsy. The Hyuuga would never allow such an embarrassment.

Nonetheless, she had allowed herself to hope, and it hurt so much she thought she would shatter. Until she lost the chance, Hinata had not realized how badly she wanted to prove herself.

Hiashi stepped back in the room with a stern expression on his face.

"Hyuuga-sama, you said you needed to speak to me on another matter," Hinata asked. She managed to swallow back her disappointment. He gave her a strange look and handed her two dusty scrolls.

"You will need to update your information in these forms. I will sign and have them delivered to the Hokage Tower." Hinata stared for a long moment at him before gently taking the scrolls from him with a shocked 'thank you'. Hiashi looked discomfited by the gratitude in her eyes.

"I have not been the best fa-," he cut himself up and coughed. "Congratulations. Kyokki...she would be very proud." She smiled at the mention of her mother. Hiashi rarely mentioned her anymore, so it was mark of his own pride, even if he wouldn't admit it.

They eyed each other awkwardly. "You had another matter…" Hinata asked. Hiashi blinked and shook his head.

"Yes, of course. I am meeting with the Uchiha tomorrow morning. It is about time that two of the strongest clans in Konoha come to an agreement and clear the air of any previous misunderstandings. Since you have ties with both clans, your attendance is required."

Itachi will be there. She can't see him. She can't. She told Hiashi the danger of her further fraternization.

"But...Hyuuga-sama...the Uchiha will figure out-"

"I am very busy with paperwork, Hinata. I will see you tomorrow." Hiashi studiously turned back to his suspiciously bare desk, but the dismissal was clear. Hinata could have sworn that the Hyuuga clan head was smirking as she exited.

* * *

 

**Chapter 79: What Lies in Truth - 3**

* * *

 

Hiashi greeted Itachi and Fugaku at the door in a sign of hospitality, and accompanied them to one of the conference rooms. Hinata was conspicuous in her absence, at least to Itachi. He tried to surreptitiously fan out his chakra, searching for the warm lavender tones he'd come to associate with her.

"She's bringing the tea," Hiashi told him. The Hyuuga head exchanged an amused glance with Fugaku, and Itachi knew he'd been caught. He was in the presence of two very powerful ninja, even if they were retired.

A soft knock precluded Hinata's entrance. She was balancing a heavily laden tray of tea and light snacks. Itachi immediately stood to help her. Their fingers brushed and she nearly dropped the tray in the process. Blushing a pretty pink, Hinata stuttered out her thanks before scurrying to Hiashi's side of the table. She poured tea for all of them, herself last.

"Itachi, how much have you figured out about the Hyuuga clan?" Hiashi asked after they exchanged the minimal polite small talk. Hinata was looking at her scroll with determination, trying not to seem as if she was listening intently. Her grip on her pen was so tight her knuckles were white.

In flash of insight, Itachi understood why she'd so uncharacteristically attacked him with such harsh words. She thought he was trying to use her for information on the Hyuuga. Even though that she would think that saddened him, he understood. He understood duty.

He had to get her to understand that this was something more that just gathering dirt on another clan. The Hyuuga and Uchiha were two important parts of the whole of Konoha.

So Itachi told them everything he knew and concluded about the Hyuuga and the Uchiha. He spoke on how Hyuuga Yami had likely taken advantage of the rift between the Uchiha police and the ninja forces to amass an army.

Then he spoke about Hinata's kidnapping, and how much of it was blamed on the Uchiha as they had been invited as the third party to facilitate over the Hyuuga and the Cloud. The Cloud would have trusted no one but the Uchiha, for the rivalry between the Hyuuga and Uchiha was legendary. The aftermath was a political mess, with war looming on the horizon and too many fingers pointed at each other.

As he laid out all the nuances of such a pivotal event in her life, Itachi watched Hinata. Instead of shrinking in on herself, she set her shoulders and listened resolutely. This wasn't the shy, timid girl he'd first experimented with. There was a new edge of determination in her eyes, velvet over steel.

"We are not so different - the Uchiha and the Hyuuga," Hiashi said when Itachi paused just before mentioning the Uchiha rebellion. "In many ways, the Uchiha coup was inevitable in that political setting."

So the Hyuuga had guessed, after all.

Fugaku looked a little bitter and sad as he nodded. "Our clan's resentment and anger were easily harnessed by the more aggressive members."

"It is not too late to strengthen the relationship between the Hyuuga and Uchiha - we should be on the same side, Konoha's," Hiashi said.

Itachi was a supporter of harmony, and agreed with the man wholeheartedly. But he was also quite suspicious of the way the two clan heads glanced at him and Hinata.

* * *

 

**Chapter 80: What Lies in Truth - 4**

* * *

 

The clan heads wished to talk further, so it was left to Hinata to escort him to the gate.

"Ita- Uchiha-san. Thank you for your time today." She bowed stiffly when they arrived, and turned to leave. She wasn't going to make it easy for him, was she? Then again, nothing that was worth it was easy.

"Hinata." Itachi checked for eavesdroppers before continuing. If he'd misinterpreted Mikoto's words of advice, what he was about to do could be considered treason. "Do you remember when you called me a 'stupid ANBU'?" She paused, and then turned to him, eyes wide.

"You're...Mouse?"

"...it was Weasel," he corrected with an internal wince. Her lips twitched in amusement at the rather obvious animal assignment. "Sandaime-sama had a sense of humor."

"Yes," she said. The brief hint of warmth her eyes was shuttered away again. "I remember. You helped me that day. Thank you." The revelation of his ANBU identity, a classified secret in of itself, unnerved her.

Itachi shook his head. "No, you helped me. That day, I had been struggling with a mission from Danzo." He didn't miss the way she held back a flinch from the mention of the man's name, and filed it reaction away from future consideration. "My mission had been to exterminate the Uchiha clan. Everyone, including the children and elderly. My mother and father. My cousins." The full meaning of his words were beginning to sink in and she stared at him with an expression of horror. "Your words helped me remember what was most important."

"No wonder you killed him...but why are you telling me this?" she whispered. "I...I'm happy that it didn't happen, but that should be an S-class secret."

"It is my secret to tell," Itachi said. He paused, licking his lips in an uncharacteristic gesture of nerves. "And even that is of lesser importance than your trust in me."

"You really should...reevaluate your priorities…" she murmurred. There was a waver in her voice, and he realized that there were tears in her eyes. But a smile tugged at the edge of her lips. That had to mean something.

"Hinata, I don't want to fight," Itachi said in a low voice. "There is enough violence and anger in the world. Such ugliness between us...it shouldn't be. Please tell what I should do to rectify the damage I have done. I said terrible things to you. While some of the things you said were just as upsetting, you had the underlying motive of protecting your family's secrets. I had no right to -"

She reached out and pulled his sleeve, a nervous sort of energy vibrating through her. "I forgive you. But only if you can forgive my words against you as well," she said. "I...was anxious over your intentions."

"Of course," Itachi said immediately. "I do not begrudge you your duties." It baffled him that she would even worry - he had done far darker deeds for no more reason than the simple fact that he'd been ordered to.

"But...you're not upset?" she asked.

She was worried she'd hurt him. Even between the mess of politics and familial duty and ugly words, she cared about what he thought, what he felt. It was a warmth in his chest that made him want to grin like a fool.

"No. Now, I'm fine."

* * *

 

**Chapter 81: What Lies in Truth - 5**

* * *

 

She'd missed this.

Before the complexities of forbidden emotions and her own doubts, there had been the simplicity of just them. Itachi and Hinata. Quiet conversations and inside jokes. Shy smiles and gentle encouragement. Undivided attention between them both.

She'd sloshed a boulder in that smooth perfection, but no matter how large the ripples, everything could settle back.

"How have you been?" he asked. It was the most basic courtesy, yet somehow, Itachi made it a powerful question with the sincerity in his tone. He wanted to know about Hinata, just her, and it made her feel so, so special.

Hinata immediately thought of the paperwork Hiashi just submitted. But she hesitated, because this was one of the most celebrated shinobi in the history of Konoha. Passing the genin exam was laughably insignificant to Itachi's achievements. But it was significant to her, and he'd asked.

She pulled the forehead protector from her sleeve and let it catch the sunlight. He immediately understood.

"Congratulations," he said with genuine pleasure. "When?"

"Two days ago. I asked Kurenai-sensei to retest me...with genjutsu. I most fell for her genjutsu, but I fought her illusion, her reality."

"So is it official then?"

She nodded. "Hyuuga-sama submitted all the forms already. I am only waiting for confirmation of my sensei"

"Then you should bear the mark of your achievement proudly, rather than hide it in your sleeve." He gestured to the forehead protector. "May I?" Mystified, she handed it to him.

Hinata froze as he reached around her to tie it around her neck. He was so close she could feel his breath stir her bangs. He paused and then stepped back. One strand of her hair caught on his hand, and it slipped through his fingers like silk as he withdrew.

"There," he said gently. The very presence of it around her neck lifted her chin an iota and she looked up at him, cheeks flushed with a sharp awareness of him. "It looks good."

It wasn't on accident that he'd chosen a place so both the Cage-Bird Seal and her ninja status could be on proud display.

They stared at each other for a moment. She reached up and touched the cool metal, tracing the symbol of her village. Itachi's impromptu ceremony made it real. She was a Konoha ninja. The weight of it was solid around her neck - not a collar, but a medal.

"Thank you," she said. She wasn't referring to just his complement.

"If you would have me, I can help with your training."

She bit her lip and then nodded with a smile. Words were not enough to convey everything she felt. But with Itachi, she didn't need to explain herself.

* * *

 

**Chapter 82: What Lies in Truth - 6**

* * *

 

It was a week later before Hiashi called Hinata to his office again. This time, Hiyoshi joined them.

"Good morning, Hyuuga-sama, Hiyoshi-sama," she greeted them. The older man's eyes lingered on Hinata's new choice for a necklace and frowned. The lines of his face appeared even deeper for it. Hiashi didn't seem to notice as he gestured for Hinata to take a seat.

"I have no doubt you are wondering about your status," Hiashi said. Her hand automatically flew up to her forehead protector to keep them from taking it. He shook his head at her gesture. "I've been working with Tsunade-sama and Kurenai-san. While your exam is valid, you are in a unique situation where one, it is the middle of the Academy year, and two, you are significantly older than the other genin."

Three, Hinata realized in relief, was that they would never put a Hyuuga, no matter how lowly or weak, with genin who have remained so seven years into their career. Even she had her pride.

"So...what does that mean?" she asked.

"You will be placed in an apprenticeship instead," Hiashi told her. "It is a great honor, as your teacher will be focused solely on your development. Due to the personal nature of it, it is a stronger contract than even a genin team. Your genin team are your closest comrades, but in an apprenticeship utilizes all those roles through two people." Hiashi smiled faintly, as remembering old times from his youth.

Hinata remembered that he had been in the same genin cell as Uchiha Fugaku and Aburame Shibi. Then she wondered how that combination could have ever worked - did the Aburame have to use his bugs keep her and Itachi's fathers from killing each other? Suddenly, she was very thankful she wasn't at risk something like that. Just imagine if she had been on the same genin cell as Neji back when he hated her…

"I understand, Hyuuga-sama," she gratefully. "I will give Kurenai-sensei the respect she is due."

He nodded approvingly. "Of course, it would behoove you to continue your training with the young Uchiha Itachi as well."

Hinata flushed, but managed a steady 'I will, Hyuuga-sama.'

Here, Hiyoshi coughed. "While Hinata may have demonstrated trustworthiness in the matter regarding Hyuuga Yami, I don't think it wise to continue her exposure to a security risk."

Hiashi gave the elder a stern look. "We've discussed this several time before, Hiyoshi-san." The clan head glanced at Hinata, but decided to continue speaking despite her presence. "She is an important member of the clan and deserves the best resources available to her. Furthermore, Uchiha Itachi will be the clan head of the Uchiha, and it is to our benefit to seek a strong relationship with him. And on that front, Hinata is our strongest asset."

Was that how he thought of her?

She looked down at her hands, her scars blurring from the tears. She'd always kept her distance out of shame. To stay out of the way, she stayed small and quiet and pressed to the corner. To not bring trouble, Hinata had suppressed as much as she could - her soft personality, her genjutsu sensitivity, herself…

Hinata hadn't known how much she needed to hear such acknowledgement from her father until now.

* * *

 

**Chapter 83: What Lies in Truth - 7**

* * *

 

For the first time since she could remember, she had trouble sleeping simply because she was so excited. As soon as dawn's rosy fingers began to peel back the night, Hinata was up. She had completed her duties in the kitchen the day before, leaving her ample time in the morning make sure her equipment was in order. Though Hyuuga generally didn't need much except their own hands, Hinata's taijutsu still needed supplementation.

She was determined to get it right - for her father, for her family, for herself - so Hinata brought a spare of every weapon that the Academy had recommended. She only clanked slightly when she walked. Kurenai-sensei would address it if it became a problem.

Hinata arrived half an hour early for her first meeting, and waited eagerly at the designated training field with soft smile. This was a new era in her life. Doubt was but a vague notion at the back of her mind - determination filled her veins with a steely Will of Fire. She was ready to step up to the battlefield, to serve as a proud soldier of her village. It was a dream come true.

Right at the stroke of nine, her teacher appeared with a swirl of leaves.

Except, Kurenai looked a lot like Itachi.

"Good morning...Hinata," he said after a moment. The Uchiha frowned as he regarded her. He didn't seem angry at her - rather more like he was thinking about something frustrating.

"Good morning," she said with a bow. "I didn't know there you were meeting a team here as well."

"Not a team," he replied. "Just one student. An apprentice whose name Father refused to tell me until now..."

Then it hit her.

"You're my teacher."

That was why Hiashi had been so strangely evasive. He never actually confirmed that her mentor would be Kurenai and simply had let her assume it for the past week.

"Hyuuga-sama...he...he...he tricked me!" she exclaimed, lips pressed into a little pucker of disappointment and fists clenched in front her chest.

Then just as quickly, her burst of ire dissipated. It was uncharacteristic of her to be angry with Hiashi over a silly thing like his choice of her teacher. It was his prerogative to begin with. She had always accepted his decisions dutifully.

She left her hands fall to her sides in wonder. Hinata realized that with her renewed relationship her father, she allowed herself to feel the unique irritation that children felt for their parents.

"I am not surprised," Itachi said flatly, sharing her filial exasperation. "I told Father not to meddle after he'd suggested a betr-" He shook his head with a sigh. "Naturally, he involved himself even more. Probably Mother's idea..." Itachi recomposed himself and looked at Hinata apologetically. "Please understand this: I am far from displeased with our fathers' choice. Moreso with their method of springing this on us. In fact, I already have several training ideas derived from our earlier experiments, though they were extraneous until recently."

_Until you became genin._  She understood. He had a thousand thoughts in a moment, but carefully picked out only a few to share. Before her promotion to genin, suggesting training for her would have only hurt her.

Mentally, she apologized to Hiashi for being so angry over his trickery.

She shared Itachi's sentiment and could only complain about the method (or lack of one) of how she was informed. Now that the reality of it sunk in, Hinata's heartbeat played a strange, albeit not unpleasant, pattern of anticipation in her chest.

"How long is this supposed to be?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"I don't believe they altered the terms of the contract overmuch," he answered easily. "So it would be until your promotion to chuunin."

If that happened at all.

"I...I will work hard," she hedged. He smiled at her so trustingly, unaware of her sly thoughts.

She must be the first genin who ever considered failing the Chuunin Exam indefinitely.

 


	13. Sunrise, Sunflower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there are training montages and more secrets to be revealed.

**Chapter 84: Sunrise, Sunflower - 1**

* * *

 

Itachi's claim of 'several' training suggestions had been a gross understatement. The next day, he presented her with a scroll as thick as her arm detailing her new torture schedule. She had seven years worth of training to make up for...which Itachi was apparently trying to compress into seven weeks, given the pace of her lessons.

They would meet in the mornings at six am sharp, and warm up with ten laps around the village. Maybe it was a warm-up for Itachi, who hardly broke a sweat as he accompanied her, but it was certainly not the case for someone who hadn't run in nearly a decade. Red-faced not just from embarrassment, Hinata huffed and puffed with determination the entire way.

(Sometimes, they crossed paths with two very strange and...green ninja. Gai and Lee greeted them with loud exclamations about 'youth' and 'springtime' and 'love'. She still wasn't sure which was man which, as she tried really hard not to look directly at them. No matter how exhausted she was, both she and Itachi ran much faster as soon as they saw any glint of too-white teeth.)

After the run, Itachi had her doing conditioning exercises to strengthen her body. Her muscles were already liquid at this point, but he was always impressed by the number of sit-ups she could pump out.

Conveniently, neither of them credited the real reason for her motivation: for this exercise, Itachi held down her feet for her. Each time she sat up, their faces would draw so close she could see that his pupils weren't completely black, but black with dark flecks of Sharingan crimson. Their breaths would mingle warmly, and the only obstacles between them were her bent knees.

While running endless laps around Konoha didn't phase him, Hinata's sit-ups left Itachi's cheeks with just a tinge of pink.

Conditioning always ran a little over, but Itachi had planned more than ample time for them to spar afterwards. Jyuuken was an art that required a lifetime of dedication, not a jutsu to be mastered once. Instead, Itachi had her work separately with a Hyuuga tutor in the few spare hours of the week, and spent his time drilling her on the basics of mobility.

He taught her to vault herself through the giant trees with ease, until she felt as if she were flying, wind singing by her ears and whipping through her hair. He taught her to water-walk with steps so light she barely caused ripples as she graced across the surface of a lake.

Hanabi later told her that when Hinata and Itachi sparred, they resembled two dancers performing a choreographed routine. ( _Like_   _partners_ , Hinata thought.  _Maybe even equals._ ) Her little sister's flattering description eased the sting of the memory when, earlier, Hanabi had openly grinned as the Branch head Tsuru had scolded her for tracking water into the house after being dunked in the pond, courtesy of one sadistic Uchiha Itachi.

Thankfully, Itachi wasn't a complete slavedriver.

After their spar, he allowed her a full hour for lunch. Even though the cooks knew exactly how much Hinata could eat, her bento always suspiciously contained far too much for her. Neither Itachi nor Hinata could stand waste, so they inevitably ended up sharing her lunchbox. Just as suspicious was the fact that the Uchiha cooks had been suddenly afflicted with an incapability of cooking anything edible for Itachi, though they seemed to manage just fine for every other member of his clan.

With hair from her braid tickling the back of her neck and her clothes stale with sweat, Hinata never felt more happy. The chill of the spring of the air was just beginning to warm, but still felt soothing on their damp skin. They would sit side-by-side on the gentle slope of a hill, balancing the layers of her gargantuan bento on their knees.

"My compliments to your cook," Itachi would say every time, with an odd expression of resignation. Then he would comment on the food item of the day. "The onigiri are...exactly how I prefer them." Or "the seasoning of the cabbage is so good...it tastes just like home-cooking."

Hinata just giggled, and made sure to pass on his words.

(The cooks were some of the worst gossips in Fire Country, since they all saw each other at the morning markets. Several gleefully kept her updated on Hiashi and Fugaku's activities. She didn't want to be taken by surprise again. Fortunately, after secretly setting up her apprenticeship, Hiashi had reverted back to his distant handling of the Uchiha. Much to Fugaku and Mikoto's dismay, apparently.)

But no matter how wonderful or amusing lunchtime could be, it was a small respite. Afternoons were for either genjutsu study or D-rank missions. While neither were difficult in theory, both more than made up for it in how exhausting they were.

Hinata liked genjutsu study the best. He was giving her the tools, the skills, to stand on her own - the knight was equipping the damsel with her own weapons. Genjutsu practice was nothing like the experiments from before. Now that he had confirmed she could handle genjutsu, Itachi did not hold back when he made her practice breaking herself from such techniques again and again.

He taught her to disrupt it with a flare of chakra even before it took hold. He taught her to sidestep the draw of genjutsu as soon as it was cast on her, as fighting it delayed her precious seconds.

At first, Hinata had been worried, as Kurenai had suffered from the recoil of her strange mind. But Itachi's genjutsu was as slippery as water, and more subtle than shadows, and she could never quite find him in order to fight him. He was one of the greatest genjutsu users of this age, however, so Hinata only resolved to train harder to catch him.

(The D-ranks were a thankfully rare formality, as even Hinata could only tolerate so much weed-pulling or grocery shopping on top of her existing Branch duties.)

Be it genjutsu or missions, afterwards, Itachi would always escort her back to the Hyuuga complex. At first, it was out of necessity, as Hinata could barely walk straight due to her fatigue. As her body adjusted, their conversations became reminiscent of the times he walked with her after their experiments. Her weariness always caught up with her at night, though, and it was all Hinata could do to make sure she collapsed on her bed instead of the floor.

So sunrise and sunset blurred between the days, but each morning Hinata woke feeling herself growing stronger and, finally, blooming.

* * *

 

**Chapter 85: Sunrise, Sunflower - 2**

* * *

 

Hinata peered out through the leaves of the tree she was currently hiding in. She had a few hours yet before her teacher would think to look for her. Itachi had revealed his irritation with Team 7's fondness for trees before, though she could only appreciate the suggestion.

From her vantage point, she could see all the people who used the intersection that connected the Uchiha and Hyuuga roads. Traffic was picking up again, now that it was a few hours after lunchtime.

Even from this distance, it was hard to miss Akamaru, now that the dog was so large his paws were the size of dinner plates. With a jolt, Hinata realized Team 8 was returning from their most recent rotation. Hikaru had left not a month after Hinata began training with Itachi.

Has it already been four months?

Shino and Kiba walked with Hikaru. Hinata felt a familiar twinge as she watched them laugh together. In another universe, it would have been her down there. She had asked Kurenai to fail her out of fear that she would spill Hyuuga secrets, but what if she had trusted her team?

The familiar feeling of unworthiness crept up her throat. Feeling small and overwhelmed, Hinata didn't notice Sakura's approach from the direction of the Uchiha district until she was directly underneath Hinata's tree.

"Oh, Hinata! Hi. I didn't sense you at all." Without waiting for an invitation, she leaped up to the branch Hinata was seated on.

"Hi Sakura-san," Hinata greeted softly. She shifted to the side to make room for the pink-haired girl, and Tora let out a content little purr before curling back into a furball in her lap.

"Just call me Sakura. Is that who I think it is?" she said as she settled down next to her. "He's...so calm." Tora opened one eye, and dismissed the medic with a lazy flick of his tail.

Sakura made a face at the cat, who had already tucked his head back under one paw. Hinata giggled lightly.

"Well, summon or not," she said, "all cats like Tsuru-san's grilled tuna."

Sakura blinked. "You figured it out already?" She shook her head with a laugh. "It took Team 7 at least four rounds in before Sasuke even bothered trying to look for a genjutsu." She gestured to the Konoha forehead protector around Tora's head that was usually disguised as a little bow.

Tora was far too wily to be a simple tomcat. The feline was actually the summon of one of the retired kunoichi who now ran a weapons stall down at the markets and always boasted about her friendship with the Daimyo's wife. The whole Tora setup was just a training exercise to give the genin teams a chance to blow off some steam. It had been child's play to convince Tora he should accept Hinata's bribe and give them both a chance to rest.

"Well...I'm sensitive to genjutsu," the Hyuuga said, with a blush of pride. She gently scratched the top of Tora's head.

"Don't be modest," Sakura said. "If that's your reason, what's Sasuke's excuse?"

"I'm not sure," Hinata said frankly. After a moment, she looked at Sakura nervously. "Are you going to tell Itachi I'm here?"

The other woman laughed. "Don't worry - I'm not going to tell our sensei when I know just how hard he is pushing you. Take what breaks you can." Hinata was about ask just how Sakura knew, but somehow, but then she remembered that Sakura had also been Itachi's student.

 _Our_  sensei.

Perhaps Sakura didn't realize it, but how she said it made them sound like comrades.

Sakura and Hinata fell quiet as Team 8 passed under their tree, who remained unaware of the two kunoichi. Shino and Kiba waved to Hikaru, who then let herself into the side gate of the Hyuuga complex. The two young men (and the dog) continued on their way.

This time, as she watched their receding backs, Hinata didn't feel the twinge, only a faint regret that she hadn't had the chance to fight with them. But she already had her own team.

"So is Itachi-sensei treating you okay? You tell me if he's gone off on some tangent - he does that sometimes."

Hinata turned and smiled slightly at the healer.

"I can handle it. But thank you, Sakura."

* * *

 

**Chapter 86: Sunrise, Sunflower - 3**

 

* * *

 

Hinata was improving more rapidly than even he had expected.

Her physical fitness was worse than Sakura's when the medic had first joined Team 7, and she had none of Sakura's natural (or unnatural, depending on who was talking) strength. But Hinata's steely gaze would not witness failure. The harder he pushed her, the harder she fought.

While she didn't have the raw strength of his admittedly overpowered Team 7, she had talent. She had speed, she had cunning, she had cleverness. (And she didn't distract herself with foolish pranks or strange quests like they had. They deserved to spend that week working in the bathhouses.)

The chakra control and intuitive sense of balance was purely Hyuuga. For all his father's complaints about Hiashi's poor personality, even prickly Fugaku could never find fault in his genin team mate's fighting ability.

Hinata was her father's daughter, even if no one seemed to recognize it.

The largest difference between teaching her and Team 7, however, was the perpetually tangled knot of fear in his chest. What if Hinata got hurt? Her promotion to genin meant, eventually, she would be sent out for missions. Even if she was capable, all it took was one slip of the knife, one bad shift of balance, one genjutsu…

That was why he had push her to grow even stronger, even faster. He will prepare her for the worst, in hopes that she would never have to face them.

But four months in, Itachi saw his lessons fail.

Hinata was late.

He waited all of ten minutes, before restlessness drove him to go in search of her. He found her at the foot of their favorite tree on the Uchiha training grounds. Her face was buried in her knees and arms wrapped around her shins and hands in fists - everything curled in tight in an attempt to hide. Itachi was forcibly reminded of the crying little girl from all those years ago.

She could wound him without any weapon, any technique.

"Hinata."

"I...had another nightmare," she whispered. It had been a rough one, judging by the raspy quality of her voice. But this was the first time Hinata had retreated here. Itachi wasn't sure if that was a good sign. "This time, I couldn't fight it."

He knelt before her and laid a gentle hand on her arm.

"Hinata. Look at me," he said softly. She stiffened, and then shook her head.

"You put so much effort into teaching me. I'm sorry."

"Foolish, foolish little guinea pig," he chided. It was he that failed her, because he couldn't figure out the root of her nightmares. But he knew that she would never accept such an explanation.

Instead, he took her hands, and coaxed her clenched fists to unfurl. Little crescent-shaped indents lined her palms, little moons that turned tugged the tide of his heart painfully. He interlaced their fingers, so she couldn't continue hurting herself.

Slowly, she lifted her head, red-rimmed eyes peering at him from underneath her curtain of bangs. He held her gaze.

Itachi could had assured her that every ninja faced failure in regards to his abilities. He could have told her that it was expected for a relapse before her condition improved, that even the best shinobi stumbled. He could have said many things that were easy and appropriate and expected of a jounin-sensei.

But this was Hinata, not just another name on the class roster.

Itachi found himself only saying, "If you could not fight it by yourself, then I will help you fight it."

* * *

**Side-scene/OMAKE (but this definitely happened)**

AN: Fugaku and Hiashi are roughly 13 years old here. Kyokki is Hinata's mom (I made up a name). I have no idea what the real teams were back then, so if I'm horrifically wrong, just pretend this is a quirk of the AU.

This history is blatantly borrowed from my "An Eye for an Iris' Dreamcatcher sidestory. Not posted here. 

* * *

 

Aburame Shibi sighed as he dragged his team mates' unconscious bodies back towards to the Uchiha and Hyuuga districts. His kikachu buzzed inside him like bees, hyperactive from the excess of energy. He'd been forced to drain the two of their chakra in order to break up their fight. And of course, their energies also did not get along well. The feeling was similar to what Shibi imagined would be the result of simultaneously drinking too much coffee and alcohol.

One would think after two years on the same genin team, Fugaku and Hiashi would have learned to kindly not kill each other as soon as their sensei turned his back.

Not that he could fault Sakumo-sensei for running off. His wife was finally in labor. The young man had been so frazzled that he mistook a shuriken for a cookie earlier. If Shibi hadn't stopped him, Hatake Sakumo would have found it very painful to kiss his son for the first time.

Sometimes Shibi felt like he was the grown-up of the group. As proud as he was of his powerful team, the Aburame did not understand the logic of the person who thought it would be beneficial to place an Uchiha and a Hyuuga on the team of a jounin who was famous for valuing teamwork. While the theory was cute, all facts pointed to disaster.

Just take a look at the poor genin that Shibi had replaced on Team Sakumo.

Shibi was several years younger than Fugaku and Hiashi. He had graduated early. There were simply too many genin for full teams, yet politics would not have allowed the Aburame to fail. Fortunately, one of the genin on Team Sakumo had cracked and recently retired to become a ramen-chef instead.

Shibi was beginning to appreciate the reasoning behind Teuchi's decision. Maybe he should inquire if they needed another apprentice at the ramen shop...

"Good evening, Shibi-san." Kyokki smiled sweetly at him, distracting him from his consideration of a career shift. "Thank you for bringing back my fiance. I figured this might happen when I heard the news that Sakumo-san's wife was in labor."

"Then you are a wise person, Kyokki-san," Shibi muttered.

She just smiled. "Do you need help?"

Shibi was mature for his age, but he was also a young boy faced with a pretty girl. So he frowned and shook his head. "I am strong enough to manage." With a little shrug, she fell in step with him as he continued down the road to the Hyuuga complex.

"I'm sorry you're always caught in the middle," Kyokki said sadly after a minute of silence. "He has a lot of pent up anger."

Shibi understood. Four years ago, there had been an enormous disturbance at the Hyuuga complex, though it was quickly hushed. The Aburame always kept an eye on the major clans of Konoha and the kikachu scouts had reported extensive bloodshed. Everyone acted as if nothing happened, but abruptly after that, the inseparable Hyuuga twins were ever seen together.

Hiashi had let enough slip that Shibi could guess that it wasn't a voluntary split.

He sighed. That was no excuse to try attempt to turn Uchiha Fugaku into pulp, however. Especially since that usually left Shibi as the reluctant referee.

"It would be rude of me to wish this…" he paused.

"You can tell me," Kyokki said.

"May you or Mikoto have only daughters, for your sake, Kyokki-san. If Fugaku and Hiashi both have sons of the same generation, Konoha may not survive to see its Godaime."

"W-We have a while before we get to that, Shibi-san," Kyokki stuttered with a light blush. She waved her hands emphatically as she could wave away the awkward in the air.

...cute…

Hiashi was a lucky bastard.

It was petty of him, but Shibi might have dragged the Hyuuga's head over several more rocks on the road than necessary.

* * *

 

**Chapter 87: Sunrise, Sunflower - 4**

* * *

 

Itachi needed to think.

He had ordered Hinata to take a day off and rest. It gave him time to delve fully into the mystery of her nightmares. That had been the original intention in his experiments with Hinata, but he'd gotten...distracted.

But now curiosity was only a sidenote to the urgency of stopping Hinata's nightmares, of stopping his own insides from curdling from the unpalatable combination of worry and sympathetic agony.

Team 7 was more than happy (to the point of being suspiciously eager) to help. So he sent Sakura to dig through all medical files the hospital had on Hyuuga personnel. He sent Naruto with a jug of sake to cajole Tsunade into giving him and his clones early access to all other scrolls regarding Hyuuga personnel. And he sent Sasuke off to seduce said Hyuuga personnel for whatever information the other two couldn't uncover. Or piss them off enough that they let something slip.

Team 7's skills lay overwhelmingly in the area of combat, but they also made phenomenal research analysts when appropriately motivated. Itachi estimated it was three parts because they were nosy matchmakers and one part because he had yet to mention anything about the "diary" incident. (Though it ultimately resolved itself in a favorable manner, Itachi intended to make them sweat over it for a long time.)

And so while all his students were occupied, Itachi sat under the tree where he'd found Hinata and carefully picked through all he knew about her. He was as still as a statue, every spare bit of consciousness directed to the puzzle that had become far more than a mere puzzle.

Unfortunately, Hinata wasn't the only distraction.

Though irritated by the interruption, Itachi wasn't all that surprised to feel Neji's chakra approach.

"Tell me one reason why I shouldn't close all your tenketsu. You were supposed to help her." The Hyuuga stepped out of the shadows, pale eyes narrow.

"Because you couldn't," Itachi replied coolly as he unfolded his legs and stood. Despite his even temperament, Neji was still his subordinate when on missions. "I think you will be wise to remember your manners."

"Why? Because I'm a Branch member of the Hyuuga while you are the heir of the Uchiha?"

"I fail to see the relevance to how a soldier should address his commander," Itachi said. He gave Neji a canny look. "Unless you seek to determine my opinion of the Caged-Bird Seal given that you share such a trait with Hinata."

Neji had the grace to look embarrassed.

"I applaud your concern," Itachi said more kindly. "But she is my apprentice, so my business remains with her."

Neji didn't answer for a long moment - was pride always such a difficult thing for the Hyuuga? Itachi tensed, the chakra in his eyes prickling. He will make the fight a quick one.

Then, Neji sighed.

"Hinata told you nothing about the Caged-Bird Seal, has she?"

"No, she hasn't."

Neji crossed his arms and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. "I did not tell you that the Cage-Bird Seal hinders the ability of the Byakugan," he said flatly. "I did not tell you that you should pay attention to the age of when a Branch member was sealed. I did not tell you that their Cage-Bird Seals look different...less deeply intertwined with the chakra veins...under the Byakugan from those of the other Branch members who received theirs at a younger age."

Itachi studied Neji, who scowled at him.

The young man before him now was a far departure from the malcontent boy whose rage oozed from him like disease. It had taken Sakura's bloody form and then Naruto's bloody fist to cure him. But it wasn't until after Itachi had spied the Hyuuga clan head slip from the boy's hospital room with tears in his eyes that the final strains of Neji's anger had dissipated.

For all of Naruto's powers, dispelling the ghost of a dead father was not one of them. Itachi wondered what Hiashi had told Neji.

But Neji had already given him a valuable clue, so he nodded and sat back down. "Then tell me, Hyuuga, why are you just standing here?" he asked. "You are helping no one with your strange silence."

The Hyuuga huffed, though a faint smile could been seen on his face. "Just an angry cousin looking for a fight."

* * *

 

**Chapter 88: Sunrise, Sunflower - 5**

* * *

 

Hinata did not feel any more rested after her day off. But she still forced herself to go to meet Itachi at the training grounds.

But upon her arrival, his eyes flicked over the bruising smudges under her eyes and he frowned.

"This is my most effective herbal brew for staying healthy." Itachi handed her a bottle of thick green sludge. Hinata studied it with trepidation, though she was far too polite to refuse. "The lack of sleep deteriorates your immune system. Since you have trouble obtaining proper rest, we must take better care of you in other areas. Now that you are genin, you are subject to missions outside the wall. We cannot afford to fall behind on your training."

"Oh...thank you." He looked at her expectantly. Hinata gulped and uncapped the bottle. A truly noxious smell wafted from it. One last time, she glanced at Itachi. He waited.

Trembling, Hinata held her breath and took a tiny sip. Her eyes watered from the sharp taste of garlic and something that she swore had gone putrid, but she managed a grimace of a smile afterwards.

"It is most effective if you drink all of it," Itachi insisted. Her smile fell. "It contains all the superfoods that are best known to help fuel your body and encourage healing."

"But…"

He wasn't going to budge on the matter.

Somehow, Hinata managed to choke down the entire bottle. It took her several more minutes to control her gag reflex.

Satisfied, Itachi tucked the empty bottle back into his pack. "Before we start our run - " Hinata turned a color that was oddly reminiscent of Itachi's brew at the thought of running after poisoning herself like that "- I wanted to speak with you about something."

Hinata sighed in relief. "About what?"

"You only mentioned genjutsu users before. And that you did not know what you were trying to protect. Is there the possibility of memory loss? Have you ever tried a mindwalk?"

"Hiyoshi-sama has never allowed it," she said quietly. "He said the Yamanaka are not the best of friends with the Hyuuga. And he made a good point - if my reaction to genjutsu was like to that of a mindwalk, I may not be able to handle it."

Itachi studied her. "But he said that a long time ago didn't he? What do you think now?"

Hinata froze, as she had never considered it beyond what Hiyoshi had said. What if a Yamanaka could figure out the root of her nightmares? But the old fear still pressed on her mind.  _Mustn't let them know. Mustn't let them find out._ Just what was horrific enough that it still haunted her across the years?

"Even if I wished it so, Hiyoshi-sama still won't allow it," she hedged. "He's convinced Hyuuga-sama otherwise before."

Itachi smirked faintly. "Then it's convenient that your father structured the apprenticeship that my authority on all matters of your training, including your genjutsu, supersedes that of anyone else. Even your Hiyoshi-sama."

She licked her lips and winced when reminded of what she'd been forced to ingest minutes earlier. But he was looking at her with steadfast belief. To Itachi, she could if she wanted to. It was simple as that.

"Then...I want to know," she said resolutely, taking courage from his trust in her. "I want my nightmares to stop."

Even if only for the reason that she would not have to drink any more of his deadly concoctions.

* * *

 

**Chapter 89: Sunrise, Sunflower - 6**

* * *

 

"Despite the number of head injuries that occur in this village, most people don't volunteer themselves for a mindwalk," Inoichi said as he escorted them along the winding halls of the Intelligence headquarters. The interrogation rooms were secure, just in case anything of a sensitive nature should arise.

"We are not most people," Itachi said. "Hinata's circumstance is unique."

The Yamanaka clan head nodded. "Indeed. Ibiki-san has informed me. And it is not everyday that Uchiha Itachi secretly requests my services." He gave Itachi a sideways glance, blue eyes twinkling. "Though I get quite a few regarding you."

There was a pause. Hinata let out a quiet little snort of laughter. She covered her mouth and blushed when the two men looked at her strangely.

"I thought you were joking," she murmured from between her fingers. Inoichi chuckled and shook his head.

"You forget that I had a teenaged daughter at one point. Ino wasn't pleased when Sakura got both Sasuke and yourself on her team. She tried to fix this "error" by mindwalking one of the clerical chuunin who had access to the assignments."

"Fortunately, she didn't succeed, as the Ino-Shika-Cho formation is as strong as ever," Itachi said with a small sigh of relief.

Inoichi sheepishly scratched the back of his head even as he puffed up in fatherly pride. "She would have if Nara Shikamaru hadn't clued me in on how...vain one of the Chuunin was suddenly acting."

The idea of complete control over another person, of having access to everything inside their head...Hinata shivered. Familiar, icy fingers traced down her spine. She felt bile rise in the back of her throat.

But she still meekly laid on the table covered in dormant restraining seals meant for criminals. It wasn't until Inoichi formed the Mind-Switch hand seal that it hit her.

He will see everything.

A warm hand covered her fist. Itachi.

Her hand twisted and snapped open, grabbing onto his with all her might. He let her maintain her vice-like grip as she stared up at him, terrified of Inoichi's presence at the edge of her mind.  _The Bad Man is coming, don't let the Bad Man catch her..._

"You can stop this if you want," Itachi told her. "Do you want to stop?"

Hinata opened her mouth to say yes -  _but I want to know_  - and she gritted her teeth instead. She shook her head.

"Then you can do this, Hinata."

"Ready?" Inoichi asked. Itachi squeezed her hand. Hinata looked back at Inoichi and nodded.

She closed her eyes, fingers still curled around Itachi's. Hinata let herself fall.

The mindwalk began.

* * *

 

**Chapter 90: Sunrise, Sunflower - 7**

* * *

 

When she opened her eyes again, it was dark. But Hinata could feel the cool breeze on her skin, could smell the of dew and lush forest growth. She thought she could even see the lazy twinkle of fireflies.

"Mind turning on the light, Hinata-san?" Inoichi's voice was gentle beside her.

At the mention of light, the moon peeked from behind an inky cloud, illuminating the clearing with a pale glow. Hinata stared. The leaves of the central tree swayed gently with the wind, rustling in whispery welcome. A sign with the Uchiha sigil swung on one of the lower branches, declaring the training ground private property.

Unconsciously, she relaxed. "Where are we?"

"This is your mindscape," Inoichi explained. "Every mind is slightly different, but we all tend to organize it based on a place where we feel most safe." He wisely didn't point out that her mindscape wasn't the Hyuuga complex, but an Uchiha training ground.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

"Most minds are," Inoichi agreed. "Now do you know what is the nature of the memory you are looking for? This is your mindscape, so I can guide you, but ultimately you are the boss here."

The gauzy memories of childhood were hard to pin down. "My nightmares started when I was five, right after Hanabi was born. My mother had just died…"

Inoichi nodded. "From what I can see, your mind is organized concentrically instead of chronologically. The less recent memories would be further away from the center, this tree."

They walked to the edge of the clearing. A bubble floated near them as if in greeting, bouncing off Inoichi's arm in its eagerness to get to Hinata. An image flickered across the surface - a young Neji, his forehead clear, smiled slightly at her as Hizashi held his hand. Hinata started to smile, until the progressing images showed her exactly which day it had been.

"That's when Neji got sealed," she whispered and bowed her head. "They demonstrated what the seal could do on his father." In the bubble, Hizashi fell to the ground, clutching his head in pain as dark hair spilled across the floorboards like blood. Hinata swallowed back the lump in her throat and averted her gaze, wishing the memory away.

The bubble dimmed, and blended into the background of the shadowed trees.

"You…" Inoichi stared at her in shock. "Did you do that on purpose?"

Hinata frowned. "I didn't want to think about it. Am I not supposed to do that?"

Inoichi shook his head in wonder. "Unique circumstances indeed. It's a pity Hiashi has gotten so strangely private and cautious since that mess with the Cloud." Hinata didn't like it. Yet another reason why she wasn't normal.

"It's a very remarkable ability you have there, Hinata-san," he continued to say. "Most people can't suppress their memories on command - the Pink Elephant effect in layman's terms. Generally, I only see this in high-functioning shinobi who have been forced to compartmentalize the horrors they've seen. Such as your Itachi. Hatake Kakashi was another one who had a very neatly organized mind…" Inoichi blushed and shook his head. "Though that has changed since he picked up his Icha Icha habit. Never again."

Hinata giggled, feeling much more at ease as they continued their exploration of the fringes of her mindscape.

"What about this one?" Inoichi walked towards the shadowy trees. Hinata hadn't even seen it until he pointed it out. The bubble, if it could even be called such, was unlike the others. It held no gleam, no light. If the pale pinks of the other bubbles indicated health, the sickly purples of this one could only mean disease.

He reached for it.  _He's a bad man, an intruder, mustn't tell. Don't let the Bad Man see._  Instinctively, Hinata jerked, her nerves pulling tight like ninja wire.

"No, Yamanaka-san!"

It was too late of a warning. His fingers brushed the edge of it floating mass before he pulled his hand back. The surface of it warped. Then it it bulged, as something were trying to fight its way out.

The awful screech of grinding earth filled their ears. The world trembled as gray stone walls rose out of the ground between them.

In an attempt to dodge the wall, Hinata lost her balance. She fell into the mass of memories, her mouth open in a silent scream.

_Mustn't tell..._


	14. The Price of a Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a highly allegorial beatdown.

**Chapter 91: The Price of a Secret - 1**

* * *

 

The thin edges of her memories stretched back to before her mother died, when her father's eyes shone with his smile.

.

.

.

_He tossed her into the air, and Hinata squealed with glee as she flew. She was fearless as she plummeted back to the ground, wind singing past her ears and robes flaring out like wings. Below, Hiashi waited with arms extended, pale hands - the right with the scars that Hinata loved to trace when he held her - reaching out to her._

_Her father will always catch her._

.

.

.

Now, he wasn't there to catch her.

The images rushed past her as she fell, and Hinata learned fear.

.

.

.

_She woke tucked under the arm of her kidnapper, facing down towards the blur of roofs beneath them. Hinata squirmed, but only earned a harsh slap to the face for her trouble. She was shocked into silence for a moment - no one had ever struck her before - but she couldn't go without a fight._

_The little heiress twisted and sunk her teeth into the exposed skin between his sleeve and his gloves. The man cursed and struck her even harder, sending stars raining across her vision. But Hinata did not let go until she tasted blood._

_It was enough of a distraction._

_Father ghosted within reach, a manifestation of otherworldly rage. He liquified the man's heart with a surge of chakra that was not Jyuuken. There was nothing gentle about his attack._

_Then she was back in her father's familiar arms, embraced so tightly she wasn't sure who was shaking._

.

.

.

Hinata hugged herself, feeling cold and small by comparison. This was how it all began, wasn't it?

.

.

.

_"The Cloud village demands your corpse as recompense, or they will declare war," Hiyoshi said, his disgust for them deforming his features. "They don't even try to disguise their lust for the Byakugan."_

_Hinata pressed herself into the shadows of her room. They seemed to forget that this wing was hers, and she could hear them arguing in the hallway._

_There was a pause._

_"Don't even think about it, Fish-eyes," Fugaku snapped. "This is a village matter, even if it was your fault. Konoha would never turn its back on its noble clans."_

_"Don't jump to conclusions as usual, Pink-eye." The men growled at each other._

_Hiyoshi cleared his throat. "Uchiha-sama, Hyuuga-sama," he said, emphasizing their positions as clan heads. "Let's please re-Hyuuga-sama!"_

_Hinata activated her Byakugan, watching in horror as Hiashi kneeled to the ground and clutched his head in agony._

.

.

.

Even years later, it hurt Hinata to watch such a scene. She clutched her hands, as white-knuckled as Hiashi's.

.

.

.

_Her mother caught her hand with a small smile. "Hina-chan, be careful."_

_Hinata stepped close and hugged Kyokki around the middle, though her short arms couldn't span her mother's rounded stomach._

_"Cheer up, Mama," she reminded her. "Imouto-chan is coming. You should be happy."_

_"Yes, you're right," Kyokki said with a sad sigh. She picked up Hinata and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "What a good big sister you are. Hopefully, you'll take good care of her even when she becomes Branch."_

_Five-year-old Hinata frowned in confusion. "Isn't she still my sister?"_

_"You're such a good child," Kyokki praised, tears in her eyes. "Oh, it's okay," she said when Hinata put a small hand on her cheek, enormous eyes pleading her mother not to cry. "I'm crying because I'm proud of you, Hina-chan."_

_Hinata puffed up and smiled, even if she still couldn't understand._

.

.

.

But children didn't need to read between the lines. That was the cursed skill of the adults, the burden of knowing secrets.

.

.

.

_"Kyokki-sama, you should not be up so soon after childbirth." Her mother smiled at Tsuru, the head of the kitchens, as she approached them. She set Hinata down and helped the child remove her shoes. With a soft groan of discomfort, she then sat down and did the same for herself._

_"I will manage, Tsuru. Please don't worry about me."_

_"Now you know that I have to report this to Hiashi-sama. Nothing is so important that you should abandon bedrest." Tsuru scolded. "You nearly bled out yesterday after the young lady's birth - which reminds me, when are you going to name her?"_

_Kyokki laughed stiltedly, putting up her hands in surrender. "I'm sure Hiashi will understand. Sorry, I will see myself back to bed right now. As for Hinata's sister, I will find the perfect name for her. Just you wait!" She grabbed Hinata's hand and winked over her shoulder at Tsuru._

_Hinata shivered. Kyokki's palm was clammy and cold._

.

.

.

That was her last memory of her mother. The next morning, Hinata hadn't been able to wake her mother up despite her best effort.

.

.

.

_"Hinata." Her father's face was cast in stark shadows. She couldn't see if he was mourning or just tired, and it scared her._

_"Is it true?" she whispered. If she spoke it too loud, it might become real._

_"Your mother wanted your little sister to be named 'Hanabi'."_

_Wanted. Past tense._

_._

.

.

Hinata opened her eyes with a sob. She lurched upright and nearly fell off the examination table. Warm hands guided her elbows, reminding her of reality. Then, Itachi's worried face came into focus.

"I've got you," he said. "You are safe." He didn't ask inane questions like 'are you okay' or 'what is wrong' or 'what is going on'.

It was like gravity - natural, inevitable, a force of truth she didn't question - when she sought comfort by clutching fistfuls of his shirt and burying her face into his chest.

* * *

 

**Chapter 92: The Price of a Secret - 2**

* * *

 

Itachi sat by the side of Inoichi's hospital bed, feet apart and elbows braced on his knees. The beeps of the heart rate monitor broke the silence into even intervals. It was soothing - a meditation on a fundamental pattern of life.

Hinata had been unharmed, shaken but she had recomposed herself quickly. Too quickly, in Itachi's opinion. She was used to waking up nearly incoherent, and piecing herself back together.

He'd escorted her home and had been assured by one of her cousins, Hikaru, that she would be in good hands. There was little he could do for her when all she wanted was to rest and forget today happened.

Itachi ran his hands through his bangs in a rare show of frustration. He was not accustomed to helplessness. He had been arrogant to think he could solve it so easily when others before him had tried for years. Hinata wasn't a mission with defined parameters, and he still found himself slipping into that mindset. If only to mute his own worry. The soldier did not care, did not feel outside the boundaries of his mission, but the man wearing the soldier's uniform certainly did.

Fortunately for Hinata, she had gotten off lightly compared to Inoichi. The medics weren't sure when the Yamanaka clan head would wake. It could take a day, a month, or a year. Inoichi had agreed to this experiment because he was a friendly guy who liked to help his comrades - Itachi hated the idea that a simple act of goodwill could end his career.

Sakura's approaching chakra signature was a welcome distraction. She knocked on the door before entering. "Itachi-sensei. I think I found something." Sakura spared a quick glance to Inoichi. There was no doubt that she already heard the circumstances of the mindwalker's coma, but professionalism took over. Sakura held up a file that was labeled as "classified" in enormous red block letters.

"About Hinata?" he asked.

Sakura shook her head, sending short pink locks flying about her face. "Unfortunately, I have very little on her since she was only recently registered as ninja. Civilians aren't required to come in for check-ups. This is about her father, the current Hyuuga clan head."

She glanced at Itachi, silently asking if the room was secure.

"Go on," Itachi said. Sakura sighed, as if she still couldn't quite believe what she was about to say.

"One of the medic's notes from over a decade ago listed symptoms that line up with terminal disease." Itachi waited for Sakura to explain, as Hyuuga Hiashi was very much so alive. "Well...there's still no known cure, so it's a medical miracle or someone had done something desperate and possibly illegal."

Itachi made the connections in moments, unearthing it from a thousand jumbled memories and theories. His father cursing Hiashi's strange personality shifts. Inoichi's off-hand comment about how the Hyuuga head had changed. Hiashi's terminal illness. The Hyuuga rebellion that separated twin brothers after ten years together. The Caged-Bird Seal's properties when applied late. Hinata's almost fanatical adherence to her Branch status. Her alienation from her father.

Her tears when she woke up - expression fearful, and tinged with grief.

Any one piece by itself would have been meaningless, but if all he knew was truth…then it pointed to a horrifying possibility.

"Or," he murmured. "Someone had managed the impossible."

* * *

 

**Chapter 93: The Price of a Secret - 3**

* * *

 

Hinata barely registered Hikaru's presence as they walked down the hall.

Accessing the vague memories of childhood was like opening Pandora's box, because every memory was connected to a hundred more, spanning the full breadth of what made a person. And she had suppressed and forgotten so much of herself until now.

_Her father stepped forward and light illuminated all of his face. He looked alien, even though his features were exactly as she remembered. Then he smiled sadly, and Hinata's blood turned to sludge in her veins._

_"What are you doing, Hizashi-oji-san?" she asked in a whisper. "Why are you pretending to be Father?"_

_She activated her Byakugan, but could not find any sign of the Caged-Bird Seal on her uncle clear forehead. It wasn't genjutsu. It wasn't some sort of trick._

_The rest of her body understood what her heart wouldn't. Tears blurred her vision. Hinata shook as she scooted away from Hizashi. She didn't like this game. She knew it wasn't her father because he did not smile with his eyes at her._

_"Please stop it, Hizashi-oji-san! Where is my father?" She was sobbing, and trying to scrub away her tears with the backs of her hands. "I c-can't lose him too…please!"_

_Hizashi stared down at her in horror._

_After a long moment, he reached out again to touch her head. She ducked away with a little snarl. Hizashi's hand lingered in the air, fingers trembling. Then he clenched his hand into a fist, so tightly the same scars that his twin shared turned white._

_"...I am Hyuuga Hiashi," he said in a hoarse whisper. His expression was one of agonized falsehoods. His pale eyes burned bright, a heartbreaking mix of tears and cruel resolution. "You would do well to remember your father with respect, Hinata."_

Her knees buckled.

"Hinata-san!"

Hikaru caught her seconds before she collapsed on to the ground. The other girl pulled her up with a calloused hand, and guided her into her room. "Here, drink this and sleep." Hinata accepted the sleeping brew and tossed it back. Then she stumbled into bed and pulled the covers over her head. She waited until Hikaru was out of earshot.

Then for the first time, she covered her face and wept for her father's passing.

* * *

 

**Chapter 94: The Price of a Secret - 4**

* * *

 

"Hinata. Wake up."

She opened her eyes and blinked, disoriented. Her head throbbed, pulse pounding against the backs of her eyeballs. Hinata reached up massage her temples. Strange, her body felt heavy and stiff, reluctant to respond. She struggled to her feet, swaying as she tried to place when she had been moved.

It didn't look like the Hyuuga complex, where the lines were straight and even like bars of a perfect cage. Instead, the walls and ceiling sloped together, rough hewn stone blurring what was sideways and what was upside-down, what was right. Her vision swam. Last she remembered, she had cried herself to sleep-

"Hinata!" Her attention snapped to other person in the room. Hiyoshi stood several paces away from her.

"You let a Yamanaka mindwalk you?" he asked bluntly. Hinata opened her mouth to confess, and then closed it again. If Hiyoshi hadn't known about her father, then he had at least guessed. He was the Hyuuga Clan head's closest advisor throughout. And he had still let her struggle all these years with the distance between her and her father.

She lifted her chin and spoke coldly. "That is private business between my mentor and I."

"You are Hyuuga, so your business is clan business." Hiyoshi glared down at her. "You would do well to remember."

Hinata didn't contradict him, outright. "Where am I, Hiyoshi-san?" she asked with a polite tone, though her fists were clenched tight and she neglected the proper honorific. The Hyuuga elder's odd manner unnerved her.

"That is unimportant." Hiyoshi began pacing in front of her."So where is it? The scroll?"

"I'm not sure I know what you -"

"Don't pretend. Hikaru has reported that you've regained your memories regarding the Hyuuga head's true nature."

He knew.

"Y-you mean that…"

"Yes, the scroll with the technique for breaking the Caged-Bird Seal," Hiyoshi said impatiently. "Your mother took you with her when she hid it away."

_"You're the only one I can trust, Hinata-chan!" Kyokki said lightly as she winked at her. Her mother sealed a thin scroll with her chakra, and then tucked it among the hundreds of other scrolls labelled 'Uchiha History'. "Anyone who can do any research would know that the public library of Uchiha history is inaccurate, so no one would know to look here. But don't tell anyone this is here, okay? I'm using you as a cover for errands."_

_Young Hinata frowned in consternation but nodded. She was more worried over how tired Kyokki looked. Dark circles were more noticeable around the pale Hyuuga eyes._

_"Okay, Mama," she whispered._

"Yes, you remember, don't you?" Hiyoshi said when her eyes widened. "Tell me."

Hinata licked her chapped lips.  _Mustn't tell. The Bad Man can't find her, can't find out._  Years and years of self-conditioned meekness warred with the instinct to protect her clan.

"Tell  _me_ ," Hinata said. "Why are you so interested in such a scroll? When you, more than anyone, know how such a technique would ruin the balance of the Hyuuga? Especially with our history...unless..." Her eyes widened and she stumbled away from Hiyoshi. Her feet didn't quite work and she fell. The ground jarred her bones, and gravel prickled her palms. "Unless it's not just for the Hyuuga…the Cloud..they...you..."

Hiyoshi regarded her coldly. "I see you've inherited your mother's more annoying traits. Kyokki was always a little too aware of everything for her own good." He raised his head called out. "Hikaru, get down here."

The other Hyuuga girl landed beside Hiyoshi in a kneeling position, head bowed. She refused to look at Hinata.

"Hiyoshi-sama," Hikaru said. "What do you require of me?"

"She remembers. Do whatever it takes to get that information out of her."

Hikaru's head jerked up to stare at Hiyoshi. "But she's awake and that'll-"

The old man silenced the teen with a scowl. "We can't afford subtlety anymore, now that she knows. Do as you're told."

Hikaru inclined her head. When she looked back up, her face was stony. She stood and approached. Hinata scooted back, horrified realization settling like lead in her limbs. The sleeping brew Hikaru had given her wasn't just for sleep.

Hinata's back hit the wall behind her. She pressed herself into the smooth stone, staring up at Hikaru as she towered over her. Hikaru gave her an apologetic look.

Then she formed the same hand seal as Inoichi had.

* * *

 

**Chapter 95: The Price of a Secret - 5**

 

* * *

 

Itachi summoned a raven. "Go fetch Naruto and Sasuke." The bird gave a squawk that sounded suspiciously like "roger" and flew out the window.

"Are you going to talk to Hinata then?" Sakura asked.

Itachi shook his head. "Not until I have more than a mere hunch. I cannot rush in accusing the Hyuuga clan head of identity theft without proof."

"Yeah, that might be just a little bit rude," Sakura agreed with a wry smile.

Minutes later, the remaining members of Team 7 teleported into the room.

"We didn't find very much," Sasuke reported. He looked as if someone had tried to attack him - his shirt was askew and someone had taken the liberty of running their fingers through his hair and scratching his face. Naruto had fared marginally better; he sported only one black eye from the Godaime.

"Anything may be useful," Itachi said. Sakura just sighed and started healing her boys as they gave a summary of their findings. Itachi listened with half an ear until the mention of Hikaru came up again. "Hyuuga Hikaru - elaborate on her."

Sasuke answered first. "She joined the Hyuuga several years later - her mother dropped her off with the Hyuuga. The thing is, no one really knows too much about her mother or her father."

Naruto had a similar story to tell. "Bastard told me to research this chick - there's nothing in her file before she's seven, which is really weird but the old bag wouldn't let me research further because she thinks I'm being creepy but really it's Bastard's fault."

Itachi frowned. "I left Hinata with her cousin Hikaru. Now I am suspicious of her origins-."

"That girl's mother was a Yamanaka. Distantly related." Team 7's heads all turned towards the fifth voice. Inoichi gave a little wave. "Hi." He struggled to sit up, but the seasoned medic in Sakura took over.

"Please stay down." She passed green glowing hands over Inoichi's body, before focusing on his temples. "How do you feel?"

"Like someone dumped my brain in a blender," was the raspy answer. Inoichi winced and propped himself up on his elbows. "The Hyuuga girl has a steel-trap mind."

"What do you mean?" Itachi questioned, stepping past his student. He ignored Sakura's glare. Now was not the time to coddle her patients.

"She didn't want me poking around one of her memories and so she tossed me in some sort of labyrinth. I probably wouldn't have ever made it out if I didn't have so much experience with mindscapes." Inoichi inched to a seated position and leaned back against his headboard with a sigh. "But you were discussing Hyuuga Hikaru?"

"I was saying that I left Hinata in her care. You said she was a Yamanaka?"

"That, I did not. Her mother was distantly related, but not of our clan. I only know because I keep track of all branches of the Yamanaka line. You know how tricky inheritance disputes can get." Sakura nodded with the rest of them, as she had been entangled in the ordeal surrounding Naruto's reveal as a Namikaze.

"You think her ties to your clan is an issue?" Itachi prompted. The Yamanaka clan head nodded.

"The problem is, her defense only works if the intruder is taken by surprise. Should I mindwalk her again," -Itachi glared but Inoichi just looked amused -"...hypothetically, it would not work. And Hinata has been forcibly mindwalked countless times, far more than any civilian should. It's a wonder that she has any mental defenses left."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "Aniki, if Hikaru has the ability to Yamanaka genes and Hinata had been repeated mindwalked...doesn't that mean that Hikaru has been…?" He turned towards his brother.

Itachi was already gone.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 96: The Price of a Secret - 6**

 

* * *

 

They were in her mindscape again.

Hikaru looked at her as she untangled her fingers from the hand seal. "I guess you come with me when you're awake," she murmurred. "Not that it matters."

The bonds of the physical world did not hold here, and Hinata's body responded smoothly when she stood and stepped in front of Hikaru, arms extended to her side. But the loose hairs of her braids still tickled the damp skin of her neck, and her heart still beat a hard staccato against her rib cage.

"You can't." It was both a request and a demand. Hikaru turned her head away so she did not have to look at Hinata. .

"I have to. Please don't fight me, Hinata-san." Then she flickered out of reach. "It's worse when you do," she finished from behind her. Hinata spun around. The other Hyuuga was already at the center of the clearing, close enough to the central tree to touch it.

Hikaru turned to look back at her over her shoulder, hair streaming down her back like ink to bisect the canvas of her chuunin vest. She seemed older here, closer to twenty-six than her sixteen. Hinata wasn't sure if it was a reflection of her perception or Hikaru's jutsu. But in a way, she was - Hikaru had seen far more of the world than Hinata. More death. More life.

In that moment, Hikaru was a reflection of a symbolic self that could have been. Replace the side-swept bangs with Hinata's straight bangs, and from the distance, it could have her. So even though she knew Hikaru was her enemy, Hinata still regarded her fondly. A familiar presence. That was why there was no reaction from her mindscape like there had been for Inoichi or any other stranger in her mind.

She understood then. The nightmares in which she was running away from the intruder dubbed the Bad Man, the incessant need to protect secrets she didn't even knew existed, the strange aversion to genjutsu because of the mental intrusion, waking up exhausted as if she really had been running...it was all because she had been fighting Hikaru in her mind all these years, night after night.

"You've done this before quite often, haven't you? When I slept?" Hinata asked.

"You could say that I know you better than yourself." The younger girl chuckled sadly. Then all emotion disappeared from her expression, as abruptly as if she'd donned a mask. "You shouldn't distract me. Hiyoshi-sama will be displeased."

She reached her arm into the nearest memory.

There was no doubt that Hikaru would pull the information from Hinata. She will tell Hiyoshi, and Hiyoshi will use it to destroy the Hyuuga and possibly Konoha. The Hyuuga was flawed, but it was still her clan, her family. Konoha was still full of her precious people - the Hyuuga, Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, Kurenai...everyone who were so kind to her.

Itachi.

Something dark and unrelenting flash through Hinata's eyes.  _This is MY mind_.

She charged. Midstep, everything flashed out of view as if she had blinked, and then she was tackling Hikaru with a shoulder in the other girl's middle. Hikaru grunted in surprise. They tumbled to the ground - hardwood floors, Hinata noticed distantly, they must have landed inside a memory - elbows and knees knocking against each other's.

_In the background, a young Hinata practiced her kata for Jyuuken with Kyokki. Hiashi was smiling as he watched them. Hinata tripped, but both Kyokki and Hiashi were there in time to catch her before she ever hit the ground._

Fists rained down Hinata's back. She struck back, digging her knuckles into Hikaru's ribs. A hard punch to jaw made her teeth ache and coppery blood pool over her tongue. White dots peppered her vision. With a wordless scream, she wrestled Hikaru to the ground.

_The soft sounds of a spar filled the dojo. Hizashi stepped in a complicated movement, and Hinata realized she was falling. His expression was cruel, but he caught her arm with a gentle hand, and slowed her momentum so the landing didn't hurt. "Again," he said._

She clawed at Hikaru's face with blunt nails, ignoring the hard kicks the other girl landed in her gut. Hikaru expertly flipped her over and pinned her, slamming her head onto the wood floor with a forearm pressed against her throat. Hinata choked, white threatening to overwhelm her field of vision. Yet as her vision grayed out, all she could think of was how the ground beneath her back had changed, how the dew on the grass pressed cold points into her skin.

_The smell of damp earth after rain tinged the air. Hinata lay gasping on the ground after yet another spar. "You're improving," he said. Itachi extended his hand to her. She accepted, and he pulled her to her feet with ease. "But you have to keep trying."_

Hinata snarled. All the careful technique her teachers taught her was forgotten in favor of a primal, protective fury. She was weak - she was kind and compassionate and meek and only genin. But she was still a soldier.

It was stupid of them to provoke her.

She reached up and viciously yanked a fistful of Hikaru's hair. The other girl bit back a yelp of pain. Hinata squirmed free, only to have Hikaru kick her legs out from underneath her. She fell, and the gravel made hard points of pain in her side. There was no one to catch her now. Here, all she had was herself. But her parents, then her uncle, and Itachi - they had taught her to be strong, to stand back up.

It was her turn to protect them, to protect their memory, their legacy.

Hinata lunged at Hikaru, knocking her back with her knees. Her fists followed, fueled by pure rage. Her last strike landed with a smack that reverberated across the sunlit clearing.

Hikaru went slack. Her head lolled to the side, and dark hair split over the poison green of the grass.

Hinata sat up. She wiped the blood from the edge of her lips, leaving a scarlet smear across her cheek. Her breaths scraped the raw inside of her throat - she didn't remember screaming - and the waning adrenaline left her muscles as weak as wrung-out dishrags. Her head throbbed, and she wasn't sure if it was real or imagined. Her control of her mindscape was still tenuous at best.

But she won.

"You  _can't_ ," she reiterated. This time, it was a triumphant declaration.

Hinata stood, gathered Hikaru in her arms - she was weightless, insubstantial, a helpless child - and willed them both to wake up.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 97: The Price of a Secret - 7**

 

* * *

 

"Release her. That is the last time I ask this."

Itachi frowned as Hiyoshi tightened his hold on Hinata. The old man had Hinata propped up against his shoulder, kunai pressed to the fragile flesh of her neck. Her head lolled to the side, and long strands of hair fell across her face. She was still caught up in her own battle, unaware of the dangers of reality. Hiyoshi dug the blade in until blood beaded at the tip. Pain squeezed her features.

Itachi's eyes were dark and narrow with disgust. He glanced at Hizashi next to him. The Hyuuga clan head gave him a slightly nod.

Hiyoshi sneered as he stared down both Itachi and Hizashi. His activated Byakugan kept track of them as well as the three ANBU hiding on the ceiling. "I'm not stupid Uchiha. I don't know how you found me in this Hyuuga hideout, but now that you have, Hinata will only live if you let me leave Konoha."

Itachi glanced at Hikaru, who was slumped on the ground behind them. He remained motionless, perhaps even apathetic.

"Well? What's your choice?" Hiyoshi asked. "Your precious Hinata-sama or clan business that you have no part of?"

"And," Itachi corrected. "I choose both, you fool."

Then his body scattered into a flock of ravens. Only when Hinata was safely in his arms did Itachi let the genjutsu unravel. A moment later, the three ANBU had Hiyoshi restrained.

"But the Byakugan can pierce all genjutsu…" Hiyoshi looked visibly shaken as the ANBU Hawk roughly pushed him to the knees.

"Most genjutsu," Itachi said. "Hinata's apprenticeship to me was not only for her benefit."

Hawk gestured and Itachi nodded for his subordinate to speak. "They've just apprehended the Cloud nin just outside the village walls," he reported. "Godaime-sama is aware of the situation and Ibiki has confirmed her orders. We are authorized to bring in the targets for questioning."

Then the Uchiha heir smiled, and it was the most terrifying thing any occupant of the room had ever witnessed. "Hiyoshi-san, the only reason I have yet to snap your neck like a twig is because I want you to be tried before the village, so that everyone will know of your shameful misdeeds. So that all the people you've let judge Hinata so harshly will understand just exactly how proud the Hyuuga and Konoha should be to have her loyalty...not that you would understand anything of that, now would you?"

He didn't expect an answer. Not when his killer intent coagulated the blood in Hiyoshi's veins and left the man a gibbering puddle of fear. Itachi spared him no further attention and turned to Hizashi.

"Thank you for trusting me on when I barged into your office, Hyuuga-sama. You as well, Hawk." They nodded. Itachi almost smiled at how their mannerisms echoed each other's.

"I also trust you can bring Hinata to the hospital while we bring these prisoners to Interrogation," Hizashi said with a faint smirk. Itachi fought the flush on his face.

"Of course. I take my duties seriously."

Hawk shook his head mockingly, sending long brown hair swaying around his shoulders. He picked up Hikaru and accompanied the others out the cavern exit. Itachi followed, squinting against the sudden wash of sunlight. The trees of the Hyuuga forest did little to filter out the sudden brightness.

"See you at the Hokage's Tower after this," Hawk said. Then he teleported away with a swirl of leaves, presumably to relegate Hikaru to Ibiki's tender care.

Itachi readjusted Hinata in his arms so she might be a little more comfortable leaning against his chest and headed in the opposite direction for the hospital. He barely cleared the Hyuuga walls when a shudder ran through Hinata's slim form.

Itachi slowed to a stop. He stood at the peak of a house, backlit against a sky of fire and ashy clouds. A strong gust of wind caught their hair and clothes, though Itachi paid little attention to his surroundings as he watched Hinata.

She opened her eyes and blinked in confusion. Pale eyes brushed over their surroundings. Then she looked back him, lavender eyes wide in the frame of her dark lashes.

"Hiyoshi had taken you hostage while you were fighting Hikaru. I am currently taking you to the hospital."

She gave no reaction but a quiet ' _oh_ '.

A rare moment of quiet settled over the constant hum of questions and theories at the back of his mind. Those did not hold weight against the one answer that concerned to him.

_Was she still Hinata?_

The possibility that Hikaru could have taken over made him sick. But a small, lopsided smile curled her mouth and she reached up with one hand to cup his jaw. "Don't worry, Itachi. I won. I am still me."

And he knew it was his Hinata, whole-souled, beautiful, and blushing faintly. Because no one else outside of his closest family could have guessed his concern, his worst nightmare.

"Thank Kami," he breathed. The knot of worry in his stomach loosened. His shoulders relaxed, even though he had not even realized that they had been tense. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Hinata's, their faces so close he could feel the soft puff of her breath.

"A-ano..." she whispered, sounding endearingly embarrassed. "Don't you want to know what happened?"

He had always asked for the why and the how and all the details in between. Itachi chuckled, eyes still closed as he reveled in the feel of her soft body against his. It was a reminder he needed that she was here with him. Her very presence could render his mind still and blank. Even worse, the idea of her absence could do the same with a cruel, cold silence.

What power she had, and she likely had no clue.

"You can tell me later if you wish it so. All that matters is that you are safe," he murmured.

He felt her shift and wrap her arms around his neck for better leverage. Then, soft lips pressed against his. Itachi's eyes opened in shock, staring at her closed eyes and inky lashes. He couldn't quite gather the words nor the will to protest her poor timing, so his eyelids drifted back shut in acquiesce to the heady warmth of her hand, her mouth. The warmth of all of her.

She kissed him so sweetly every nerve in his body sparked and sang.

He gladly returned the favor.

 


	15. The Breakthrough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which our story comes to an end. Ish.

**Chapter 98: The Breakthrough - 1**

* * *

 

"Hinata."

She opened her eyes and squinted against the overwhelming whiteness of her room.  _Hospital room_ , she concluded moments later. Her lips still held the tingle of Itachi's kiss, but she filed it away to relive in private when she noticed that she wasn't alone. A man with long hair stood by the window, the edges of his outline burned by the sunlight.

The fact that she was in the hospital should be worrisome, but she felt safe.

"Father…?" she murmured. The haze of waking cleared moments later as Hizashi shook his head. Her vision adjusted and she could focus on his features. Hinata wasn't as disappointed she thought she would be, not when the expression on her uncle's face was just as human.

"You father was very ill," he said softly. "No one knew but his closest confidants."

"I remember Father's cough," she whispered. Hizashi's stared at her in shock, and then he smiled even though his eyes squeezed with pain.

"Even though he took such care to hide it - you really are Kyokki's daughter." Hinata looked away, her throat uncomfortably full of tears and yearning. "But yes, the Cloud demanded Hiashi's body after he killed one of their head ninja. It was that, or war. The Hokage was at a loss, because it was a senseless death, but the council ordered me to take Hiashi's place. I agreed, not as a Branch member, but as his brother." He chuckled. "We ended up in a fistfight - my brother was always stronger."

Hinata looked at him, unable to choke out the question. But then why are you here and not my father?

"But I woke up to Kyokki crying by my bedside and everyone calling me 'Hiashi-sama'. I hadn't fought hard enough and I failed your father, Hinata. I thought I was protecting your father's legacy, but in reality, it was you protecting all of us. " Hinata stiffened as Hizashi kneeled on the ground and pressed his forehead to the ground. The ultimate gesture of remorse seemed so wrong when performed by one so powerful. "If you never forgive me, please at least believe me."

Tears warmed her cheeks. Because even though she now understood why Hizashi acted so coldly to her, it still hurt. For years, she had thought it was because she wasn't good enough. In the end, the person she was trying to make proud didn't even exist.

"Did you tell Neji?" she whispered. She wasn't able to keep her voice from wavering. Hizashi sat up, but remained kneeling on the cold tile floor like a large child being scolded for stealing sweets from the kitchen. The sheer absurdity of this role reversal made Hinata want to laugh and cry with the same breath.

"No, I haven't."

Hinata relaxed.

And hated herself a little for testing her uncle like that. If he had told Neji, his conviction to protecting her father's legacy wasn't as strong as he had claimed. She would have never forgiven him for it.

"I won't forgive you," she hissed. Hizashi looked to the floor in resignation. "Not until you tell Neji who you really are." His gaze snapped up to hers. Her smile was mostly genuine. "Please get off the floor, Father. It's not proper for someone of your stature."

Hizashi didn't miss the deliberate slip in how she addressed him. A visible weight lifted from his shoulders as he stood. The lines in his face eased. Even if she couldn't pinpoint the reason, she had regarded him with a nervous wariness. But for the first time, she felt that pressure ease.

She smiled again, and it warmed her pale eyes.

* * *

 

**Chapter 99: The Breakthrough - 2**

* * *

 

"What are you doing?" The Head of the Branch family's voice cut through Hinata's concentration like a blade. She spun around, staring at Tsuru as the intimidating woman crossed her arms and scowled.

"I'm finishing up the dinner menu," Hinata explained. Tsuru scoffed and pointed to the door.

"Out."

"But I-" Hinata began to protest, but Tsuru leveled her with a glare.

"Out." At the confused hurt in Hinata's eyes, the older woman's stern expression softened. "You should be training. It was selfish of me to try to keep my best assistant, but I can't keep you from your duties any longer."

Hinata understood. It was kinder to kick out her rather than try to let her off gradually. But before she stepped out the door, she turned and bowed to Tsuru, who had kept a careful eye on her all through the years. She had learned her skills for organization and methodical problem solving here. Even if Tsuru was duty bound to the Hyuuga first and foremost, she had also been kinder than she could have been.

Hinata wondered if it was lingering guilt. Now that she reclaimed her memories, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together. Tsuru had told Hiyoshi about Kyokki's venture. And it was through Tsuru's reports Hiyoshi had worked out that Hinata knew the location of the sealing scroll.

But if Tsuru really had reported everything about Hinata and Kyokki dutifully, Hinata had no doubt Hiyoshi and Hikaru would have pried everything out of her mind years ago.

"Thank you, Tsuru-san." The woman's sharp features softened and she inclined her head once.

Hinata walked down the hall back to her room in a daze. Her entire world had wobbled off its axis. Yet in some ways, it seemed that nothing had changed at all. She had seen a glimpse of the underbelly of clan politics, had fought a beast spawned by it, yet, the glances she earned as she passed other Hyuuga were just as distant as before. There was a tinge of new respect in some of the gazes turned her way, but most slid over her. Yet another day in the Hyuuga complex.

The duality of it all was jarring.

While Hiyoshi's trial had been easy (Hinata had been surprised until she had glanced the not-smile on Itachi's face throughout the whole matter), the reek of all the consequences still hung in the air. A lifetime of ill opinions wasn't so easily dispersed when it had seeped into every crevice of their view of her. And she could hardly climb to the top of the Hokage Monument and scream out the implications of a secret she kept for over a decade.

Hinata wasn't sure what she had been expecting. Her new understanding with Hizashi was only that, an understanding with one person. The Head of the Hyuuga family still had the minds of an enormous and stubborn clan to contend with. Until she managed to find the scroll (and the Uchiha public library that no one bothered to curate was vast indeed), all she had was two less mouths to account for during her morning food orders.

And even that part of her routine was gone.

It was a relief when Hanabi poked her head in through the window to snidely inform her of Itachi's arrival.

"If your sister glares at me any longer, I fear I might combust," he told her when she made her way to the side gate he leaned against. Hinata bit her lip and tried not to laugh, because there was a hint of petulance in the great Uchiha Itachi's voice that no one else but her could detect. He was whining, the big baby. But even that had a purpose, and she felt the tension in her shoulders seep away. The only glare he acknowledged - found worth his time to acknowledge - was the glare of a protective little sister.

"I will ask her to schedule her glares in more convenient intervals," she murmured back, the picture of a demure young lady. But she threaded her fingers with his and squeezed in thanks. He returned the gesture, and feeling of it seemed to reach her heart.

"It is of no importance," he said bluntly, "as I care little for her opinion. I am wary only of  _your_  ire."

Hinata smiled and straightened, pulling herself tall with the poise befitting a clan heir, past or present. Because in the end, only the thoughts of her precious people mattered. Her realization of that was the only change necessary.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 100: The Breakthrough - 3**

* * *

 

Itachi was not surprised when Team 7 invited themselves along for dinner at Ichiraku's. But really, for a rising Hokage, Naruto needed to work on being marginally more sneaky than a three-year-old.

Naruto raised a hand and greeted them with the casual wave that fooled nobody. "Oh hey! What a strange coincidence that I ran into you two, together, here at this place when I just so happened to be, as well. at the same time…" He scratched the back of his head, eyes curving into little crescents. "How lucky, huh?"

"Disgusting," Sasuke muttered from next to Naruto. On the blond's other side, Sakura shook her head sadly as Sasuke continued. "Your stupidity is disgusting."

"WELL YOUR FACE IS DISGUSTING!" Naruto yelled, pointing an accusing finger at his teammate.

Sakura clapped slowly. "Your wit is truly worthy of a Hokage, Naruto…" she said. The Rokudaime pulled down his eyelids and stuck his tongue out at her in reply.

Hinata glanced at Itachi's expression and pressed a fist to her mouth, shoulders shaking in mirth. She didn't miss the sly glint in Naruto's eyes before he continued to make a fool of himself. With each passing day, she understood why Itachi believed in him so.

The past few months have been difficult. Even with Itachi's presence anchoring her, the rippling consequences of Hiyoshi's betrayal took its toll. Naruto's sunny presence was a sorely needed break through the storm.

Itachi looked up, and almost frowned. Hinata turned to see the remainder of Team 8 pass the ramen stand.

"Good evening, Hinata-sama," Shino said with a polite nod.

Kiba said nothing, but kept his narrow gaze on her. Prolonged eye contact was a sign of aggression in dogs - Kiba himself had told her during the brief time they had been teammates. When Kiba didn't show any sign of backing down Itachi shifted, a subtle movement that was nonetheless a clear warning. Out of the corner of her eye, Hinata saw Sakura and Sasuke do the same.

Hinata swallowed, but held Kiba's gaze. "Aburame-san, Inuzuka-san," she greeted in a steady voice. "Good evening." She didn't look away.

A long moment passed like swallowing molasses, thick and uncomfortable and lingering. Kiba looked away first.

"Evening," he huffed. Hinata could have let it go at that. Itachi doubted she would, given the unique blend of empathy and insight that made his Hinata so terrifying. Now that the source of her frayed mind had been removed, her perceptiveness seemed to have increased threefold overnight.

"Tomorrow is the first day they will allow visitors. Will you be visiting Hikaru?" she asked.

Kiba didn't move. Akamaru whined, an almost strangled sound from such a large creature. "I will be going to visit her tomorrow. She is my cousin," HInata added bluntly, gently. "Regardless what crimes the village charges her, the same blood still flows through our veins. So you don't need to worry that the Hyuuga have abandoned her." Kiba snarled. Shino put a hand on his shoulder. A discrete line of kikaichu threaded down his teammate's arm.

"Bitch," Kiba murmured with none of the venom. As Naruto launched himself across the counters to kick Kiba in the face, Itachi wondered if it was a compliment, given the Inuzuka's family background.

Hinata looked up at Shino. "Does Hikaru know how he feels?"

He shrugged. "I find that selective blindness is a family trait," Shino said. "Fortunately, of the two members I've met, that blindness was directed towards their strengths rather than the more common misconception of one's weaknesses."

Hinata bit her lip, trying not to laugh even though Shino had called the rest of her clan blind and arrogant. She understood. He had acknowledged her worth as a potential member of Team 8 even when she hadn't. It moved her more than Shino would ever know.

While Hinata was the picture of tranquility, her fingers still sought Itachi's. "Thank you," she said. Shino nodded, attention already diverted by the brawl between two idiots.

From the corner, Akamaru whined and covered his eyes with his paws.

* * *

 

**Chapter 101: The Breakthrough - 4**

 

* * *

 

He tugged her hand until she stopped.

"Hinata." Itachi studied her, pinpointing the half-formed idea in her eyes. "The Inuzuka will have no means to verify your claim. Though Hikaru will likely be reinstated under probation, she will be forbidden to speak of any occurrences here on pain of death."

She didn't give herself time for second thoughts. "I need this. For me." However, she didn't release her white grip on his arm until they reached the lowest level of the ANBU headquarters. An ANBU ninja waved them through the gates after a careful perusal of their chakra.

Anxiety coated her veins like oil, slick and cloying and Hinata's courage faltered when she looked through the one-way window of the interrogation room. Hikaru sat inside, hands folded, head bowed. Though she wasn't chained to the desk, chakra suppressors on her wrists peeked out of the sleeves of her grey prisoner's uniform. Her cousin looked small and helpless , yet Hinata could only remember the intruder of her nightmares.

Itachi pushed her with a gentle hand at the small of her back.

"You need this," he reiterated. "But I will not think less of you if you decided otherwise." Hinata nodded jerkily, and then she was smoothly stepping into the room. The door shut behind her with a soft click.

Hikaru didn't look up, her features schooled in a careful expression of disinterest. "I already told you everything I know," she said crisply.

"...H-how are you?"

The other girl's eyes flicked up, then widened when she processed exactly which Hyuuga had come to visit her. Hikaru stared at her for moment, and then sunk down further in her seat.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to."

The other girl huffed and looked away, chin lifted defiantly. She will not apologize, not when she dared to follow orders of a leader she had trusted.

"If you want closure, you're better off gloating over Hiyoshi."

Hikaru twisted her lips to one side, a grimace disguised as sneer. But she gave herself away when she crossed her arms, hugging herself like a child.

It was stupid, Hinata realized. She was afraid of a child soldier - two roles known for helpless obedience. Hikaru was only following orders. Hinata had forsaken her order the day she allowed Uchiha Itachi to intrude on her routine, her familiar, comfortable everyday.

Hinata shook her head, feeling as if she were waking from a long deep sleep. She brushed away the final cobwebs fogging her thoughts. The lucidity was startling - was this the same luxury that everyone else took for granted? Hinata glanced at the blank mirrored window where she knew Itachi was waiting for.

"I didn't come here to gloat," she said. "And you didn't answer my original question. How are you? Are they treating you well?" Hikaru remained silent, looking more rebellious than she had ever seen her. Hinata smiled slightly, and then tilted her head haughtily. "You are Hyuuga," she declared, mimicking the same arrogant tone as the Hyuuga elders. "Even if everyone else has forgotten, a Hyuuga will be treated with respect and dignity."

Hikaru tensed and then looked away, blinking quickly. Hinata pretended not to see the glint of tears in her eyes.

"Hyuuga, Hyuuga," the other girl muttered. "What a terrible and wonderful name."

Hinata hummed in agreement.

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 102: The Breakthrough - 5**

* * *

 

"How do you feel about the Chuunin exams?"

Hinata thought for moment before answering. Itachi often threw odd prompts at her on their morning runs. She suspected it was in preparation for her future status in clan politics, but her thoughts could only circle around how Itachi had only promised to teach her until she made Chuunin.

"For the purpose of showing our power, it is a fine ruse," she said flatly. "The best and the brightest are paraded out, and in doing so, help intimidate the other villages. However, the psychological advantage is small when compared to the kind of pressure and exposure our Genin are…"

Itachi chuckled but did not look back at her. "The beginning of a fine analysis, but allow me to rephrase my question - do you feel ready to take the Chuunin exams?"

"Oh." Hinata blinked. Itachi had pulled a few steps ahead, but she didn't need the Byakugan to discern the tension in his shoulders. His ponytail swung with his gait - right-left-right. It was hard to look at his back and she looked to the ground instead, focusing on the steady left-right-left of her feet. The easy rhythm they shared had fallen out of sync, and she felt like she was simultaneously too fast and too slow to try to match up to him. Even her breath felt off, heavy and harsh in her throat.

Itachi wouldn't have worded his question the way he did unless he was certain of her ability. "Do you feel ready?" as opposed to "Are you ready?"

"Physically...yes?"

It was the wrong answer, if there was right one at all. She could feel him pulling away even more.

"You need not worry about the emotional aspect. Ibiki, the Head of Interrogation, has requested for your promotion. He seeks to use your unique ability to delve further into the psyche of our worst enemies. Of course, this also keeps you from the worst of the main-field violence. You talents are more aligned with their work..."

He sounded as if he was lecturing on the advantages of using linear algebra to calculate optimal kunai trajectories. Throughout his entire speech, he did not look back. Would not look back.

That was not Itachi. That was not how he spoke, not how he felt. Not with her. It was a cold, calculated act to close himself off from her, as if it would prevent their relationship from affecting her decisions. He was trying so hard to give her independent choices, tried to minimize the impact he had on her life.

He was the very axis of her new world. The only way to remove his influence was to destroy everything she was. Was that on purpose? Hinata put on a burst of speed and grabbed Itachi's hand. He let her pull him to a halt, but remained facing away from her.

"Look at me, Itachi," she said. Her voice shook - not with timidity, but anger. Wrath heated her like fire and she delighted in the flash of panic in his eyes when he turned. "Your are my mentor, my teacher. But that was always a secondary role. Right? Because on the battlefield, I can never be your equal. And yet..." Her courage burned out too quickly, and her grip on Itachi's hand loosened.

"Hinata..."

"And yet...I want to stay by your side..." she whispered. Her gaze dropped to their hands. "Not as a soldier but as myself."

There was a pause. Hinata wondered if she had overstepped herself.

"Good." Itachi stepped close, intertwining their fingers as he pressed his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes in relief, reveling in his closeness. She could feel the soft puff of his words against her face. "Forgive me. I had to be sure."

Hinata frowned as she pulled back so she could look Itachi in the eye. He was being suspiciously vague. "Sure of what, exactly?" she pressed.

Itachi swallowed before answering.

"Sure that our relationship's foundation mutually extended beyond our clans' meddling."

It took her moment to sift through the overly formal language.

"You're insecure?!" Hinata shut her mouth with a soft clack of teeth, mortified that she'd blurted it out. But Itachi didn't contradict her.

He wanted to be sure she loved him.

Hinata stared into his dark, solemn eyes, fighting the strangest urge to punch him for being so...so...

"Stupid. You stupid, stupid man," she murmured, not trusting herself to speak in a steady voice when her heart felt so full of light. "I love you. If I wanted your clan and that kind of drama, I'd have gone after Sasuke." Itachi looked disturbed by her suggestion, but wisely stuck to the issue.

"I have no excuse - please forgive me."

"On one condition," Hinata said, lifting one finger to gently prod his chest. She smiled sweetly. "No more experiments nor tests. Next time just ask me."

Itachi blinked, and then nodded. He hoped it was just a trick of light. Because for one terrifying moment, Hinata's smile had eerily resembled his mother's.

* * *

 

**Chapter 103: The Breakthrough - 6**

 

* * *

 

Hizashi stared down at the open scroll on his desk even though his eyes had glazed over minutes earlier. He clutched his head, as if the weight of what he read was too heavy. "So this...this is how Kyokki...how your mother..." He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, looking far more aged and worn that Hinata felt comfortable witnessing. She questioned her judgement in bringing the scroll straight to Hizashi rather than destroying it.

It was several more long moments before Hizashi managed to collect himself. He cleared his throat. "If you wish," he said quietly. "I can use this technique to have your seal transferred to Hiyoshi. You took the seal very late, so it's hold is not so strong as mine had been. I owe you that much in the very least."

Hinata licked her cracked lips. How had her mouth become so dry in the course of moments? Hizashi was presenting one of her deepest wishes on a silver platter. The removal of the seal would be the ultimate gesture of acceptance back into the Main family. The Caged Bird Seal was not so easily given, nor taken. She was one of the few who could take such a treatment successfully.

It was so easy a solution that it hurt.

It would have been, anyways, a few months ago.

She remembered Hikaru's words from long ago - I guess the blood can't lie. Hinata had tried to fit herself into a destiny that might have not have been hers. Maybe she had never needed to take the Caged Bird Seal to protect her family. But now this role was hers to play out.

Hinata bowed - not the polite motion of a servant, but the dignified movement of a nobleborn.

"I respectfully decline."

"Decline?" Hiashi echoed. "Are you sure?" He didn't seem as surprised as she'd expected.

Despite herself, her pale eyes flicked out the window. Hizashi followed her gaze, and saw Uchiha Itachi's lean figure by the gate, a slash of black ink too still to be swaying shadows of the trees. He turned his pale face towards them, and inclined his head a scant inch in acknowledgement.

A faint smile curved Hizashi's lips and he turned back to a pink-faced Hinata.

"I see," he said. He rolled the scroll up. "I won't keep you any longer. It would be quite rude of me to make you late - I know how important punctuality is to you."

Hinata ducked her head, half in embarrassment, half in gratitude.

"Hopefully," Hizashi said nonchalantly as he cleared his desk, "my grand-nieces and nephews are just as punctual as you are."

"P-p-punctual?!" Hinata gulped. "...I should…" She waved the air, as if she could shoo the awkward away. "Really…I..."

"After all, Kyokki had you when she was 22."

Hinata made a noise that was reminiscent of a whistling teakettle. The Hyuuga Head took pity on her and motioned to the door. His mischievous smirk made him look years younger.

"You are free to leave, Hinata."

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 104: The Breakthrough - 7**

 

* * *

 

It was (eventually) accepted that Uchiha Itachi had strange taste in women. Specifically one by the name of Hyuuga Hinata. He was a genius, the kind born only once every ten generations, and she was Branch Hyuuga, the only remaining genin of her ninja peers. To outsiders, it seemed like their only connection was that they had none at all.

The discrepancy might have been tolerable, as few could compare to the heir of one of the most envied clans, the master of one of the most terrifying bloodlines, the mentor of one of the most powerful teams, the vanquisher of one of the greatest evils in ninja history...etc. There was room for only one oversized resume. At the very least, politics would be more simple when only one of the couple was an heir.

But even among the mediocre, she was regarded as too soft, too meek. For sure, her dissenters thought, the politics of the noble clans would devour a mouse like her.

Hinata was used to the abruptly silenced whispers and averted glares. Neji had told her many times about fate. Fate was a unyielding master, unchangeable, and unforgiving. It was actually a form of comfort because Hinata had come to realize that even people like Neji could be wrong.

The easiest way was for them to accept it - she was not just Branch, not just genin. She was also Hyuuga.

Those present at the traitorous Hiyoshi's trial learned the story of a poised young woman who protected her family in the shadows. They were all forcibly reminded that Hinata had been born a heiress, a defender of her clan. The more shrewd Hyuuga elders wondered if the events that landed her in Branch were two-fold - it was convenient that she had a young sister originally fated to be sealed. Even if they were forbidden from discussing the circumstances, the Hokage's law did not stop them from thinking it as they eyed the Uchiha heir standing so protectively behind her - Hinata may yet be an heiress again.

There was one advantage of this odd relationship that was unanimously agreed upon - Uchiha Itachi began completing his away missions at (more) superhuman speeds. While the quality of his work never deteriorated, new motivations fueled the force of his genius.

Above all, Itachi valued his precious people.

Though he found the hurdles set before him too low, the riddles too straightforward, he could never dare to wish for a new challenge, a new puzzle. No, for that would mean trouble for Hinata, for his family, for his comrades. And they were the key building blocks of the village he cherished. Not that things ever got boring, between his comrades' antics and how easy it was to tease Hinata.

The Uchiha elders delighted over the sharp jump in performance, as it only brought more glory for the clan and village. The ambitious ones rubbed their hands in glee. A meek, malleable girl that also tied the Hyuuga to them was great advantage. (The smarter ones saw Itachi's soft expression for Hinata and bemoaned their future under Hiashi's thumb.)

Just because this time the goals of his elders and his own aligned, however, didn't mean that things were always easy.

Itachi watched the clock with blade-sharp intensity when Hinata was called to help with an interrogation. And remembered the times when she'd staggered back to him, face pale and clammy. And Hinata worried away the hours of his missions on the raw skin of her hands, because she could still smell the mix of metal and antiseptic from his hospital room.

But then when they were reunited - worn, possibly weakened, but never broken - it was like waking from a bad dream. He reminded her of her strength, and she reminded him of his heart. And with the other's support, they could face another day.

For Hinata and Itachi, it was a tumultuous existence, fraught with uncertainty and chaos and fear. And neither could be convinced to have it any other way.


	16. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which most loose ends are addressed and the author randomly introduces a new character last minute.

Hinata ducked behind a tree, trying to keep the breaths scraping the inside of her throat from giving her away. Sweat tickled her temples, cold on her skin like fear. Her limbs felt as if someone has wrung all the strength out of them, and she was working through the dregs of her chakra stores.

The odds were not in her favor. Her opponent was a weapons specialist - a student of Tenten's actually - and rumor was that Gai and Lee had declared themselves godfathers. A long-range fighter with the stamina (and taijutsu) of a monster.

Hinata held her a breath, caught for a moment. She only had enough chakra for one technique. She could use it find her enemy - show her cunning, as slippery as a snake - or make sure he was a little worse for wear.

" _Pretend this is a mission and the opponent is an enemy-nin. But as this is an internal promotion exam, so don't leave any permanent damage._ "

A mission.

They already knew she was sneaky. Even if she didn't demonstrate it here, the foreknowledge would color their decision. Given her unique capabilities, she would never be assigned a solo mission of this nature. She would be support for a team. A team that could go on to complete the mission without her.

The hiss of wires sung around her. She had run out of time for thinking.

She could hear the odd cadence, feel buzz in the air like electricity...She'd seen some of Tenten's techniques, with the weapons mistress dancing in a maelstrom of blades.  _How does she keep track of_ \- Her fingers flew through the seals before her idea solidified into coherent words.

"Summation no jutsu," she said. She poured her focus into throwing the numbers off just enough to-.

A strangled yelp. A muffled thump, followed by a cacophonous clatter of metal.

Hinata winced in sympathy. Miscalculated jutsus were nasty business, even if she had the been the cause of it. She held her breath until curses curdled the air, and then let out a little sigh. Her opponent was still alive.

He was also very,  _very_ angry.

Her gamble had failed. The smartest thing would be to forfeit. But how many times had she already stepped back? How many more times did the judges suspect she had given in?

She couldn't give up.

Hinata jumped out from hiding with chakra sputtering at her fingertips. She darted within reach, deflecting his fumbled katana attack with a kunai. She was smaller, weaker, but she knew her body - her limits, her strength - while he was still growing and uncertain of his ever-changing reach.

She parried several more hits, her hands going numb with each singing blow. But she was wearing down his defense. He faltered and his defense cracked -

 _There_.

She realized her mistake even as she attacked.

He caught her arm. A deft twist forced her to drop the kunai. Before she could retaliate, he kicked her in the stomach so hard she folded in half. He let her stumble away. Something slammed into her back, sending stars streaking across her vision. It took her a moment to focus her eyes and recognize the sky between the lacey silhouette of the leaves.

She watched the clouds, tracing imagined shapes as they floated past her. The summer breeze lifted the heat from her sweat-slicked skin, rustling the grass that tickled the back of her neck. The referee's voice was a distant thought as her swaying opponent was declared the winner.

_Complete, utter defeat._

But she gave him hell for it.

Hinata wiped the sweat from her brow and grinned.

* * *

 

"It's been nearly a year since your last evaluation," Ibiki said. He stepped in without knocking.

Itachi ignored Ibiki and continued working his way through the stack of recent mission reports. Since they were all nearly A-class or above, he was required to handle sensitive information inside the more secretive ANBU headquarters. Naturally, that made it all the easier for the Head of Interrogation to track him down.

Ibiki sat in the free chair, settling his large form into a semblance of nonchalance. It was unbefitting for a man whose job was to be paranoid.

"Ibiki-san, I am busy. Please find another time." Itachi wanted to clear away all paperwork before tomorrow, the start of his three month break from missions. He hadn't seen Hinata, nor his family and friends, in weeks, and due to the nature of Hinata's work for the Ibiki, there were few details to be heard about how she was settling into her promotion to Chuunin.

Ibiki didn't move. "I'm going to have to evaluate you if you want to even be considered for candidacy for a full-time position within Intelligence," he added. "Especially considering the danger to your 'validity as an elite soldier of Konoha' when a certain young lady is assigned to the same division."

Itachi set his pen down and turned around with an inward sigh. "Ibiki-san, I am a professional. You are cognizant of my record." The large, scarred man crossed his arms and gave him a flat stare. "Very well, you were correct on all aspects of my psyche." Ibiki didn't respond. This time, Itachi's sigh was audible. "And I concede to your expertise and will no longer question your evaluations on these reports."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were being sarcastic, Uchiha."

"Entirely possible." The interrogator snorted. He stood and made his way out of the room. At the doorway, he paused, and Itachi knew he was going to reveal the real reason he'd stopped by.

"Inoichi and I will approve the transfer on two conditions, Uchiha. You remain as captain until you can recommend and personally train a suitable replacement to lead your squads, both ANBU and for the daylight teams." Itachi withdrew a scroll from his sleeve and extended it to him. "And no, you can't pick Kakashi. He's off the roster on Jounin sensei duty. He just accepted today."

Itachi frowned, unrolled the scroll, and crossed off the first name on the list. He offered the edited document to Ibiki, who accepted and tucked it into his coat. "And the second condition?"

"Don't make me regret it. Namikaze is too much of a fangirl to do anything but approve your request, but Intelligence doesn't answer only to the Hokage."

"Thank you, Ibiki-san," Itachi said with a nod. Ibiki had to pull more than few strings - basically unravel an entire swath of the tapestry of his network - to smooth out the idea that a Sharingan user would have clearance for every bit of dirt the village was planted in.

"Yeah," Ibiki said with a dismissive wave that signaled that he understood the target of Itachi's gratitude. "Hurry up and finish your paperwork so you can see your lady love. She completed her work, so I sent her home early."

Itachi ignored him. But his pen moved a little faster when he resumed working on his reports.

* * *

 

 

Hinata was on her way to a status meeting with Inoichi when Hawk stepped out in front her, blocking her path down the shadowy hallway.

"Good afternoon," she said. "How can I help you?" He gestured to a door to the side that Hinata hadn't noticed until he pointed it out. She studied the pale, porcelain ANBU mask, already guessing who it might be behind the mask, and followed him into the bare room. He was careful to position himself so she had a clear path back to the door. She appreciated the consideration.

"Hinata-sama." Hawk lifted his mask, revealing Neji's familiar features.

She frowned at the unusual suffix. "Neji-nii-san," she replied, a deliberate reminder that they were equals. She took the hunched way he held himself, as if he were a lost teenage boy again, which was a sharp contrast to the too-blank expression and the ANBU captain uniform. "He told you?"

Neji nodded once. "Hyuuga-sama...Father…" He grimaced at the odd way the word rolled over his tongue."...did when I came back from rotation." She waited for him to gather his thoughts. He shook his head. "They say to be careful with what you wish for. I wished for my father. But even when at my worst, I never wished for him at the cost of yours."

"Of course not," she said. "You are silly for thinking you need to clarify that." But despite her assurances, the last scab lifted from her conscience, revealing pink, new skin underneath. The scar would always be there, but it would be okay. It was okay. Neji glanced down, not missing the way she unclenched her hands in relief.

"Sometimes it still needs to be said," he said gently. Hinata blinked, not quite sure why she was tearing up. "I've asked your forgiveness, and I can only ask it of you again."

She gave him an uncertain smile. It should have been the end of that conversation - a confession, an apology, a pardon.

He turned to leave.

"Neji, your children…" she said. He stopped. He slowly turned back to her. For all his training and self-control, he couldn't hide the glint of faint, wary hope in his eyes. "I don't want them to bear the Caged-Bird Seal."

He stared at her for a long time. Her sentiment was unoriginal, but it had been something whispered behind curled fingers as a dirty secret, not so simply stated as she did. Like the seal was a choice.

"Me neither," he agreed.

* * *

 

Though it was no longer part of her duties, Hinata still found it relaxing to wander the morning markets from time to time. The ebb and flow of people helped put a lot of things in perspective, and it was still a source of familiar routine for her.

Hinata caught sight of a young woman with a silver-haired boy at her side. They were turned away, leaning over a vegetable stand to inspect the produce, but Hinata recognized them immediately.

"Ayame, Sakumo-kun, good morning," she said.

"Hinata!" Ayame whipped around with a wide smile and she gave Hinata a quick one-armed hug. She nudged her son, who rolled his eyes but offered Hinata a polite smile.

"Good morning, Hyuuga-san," young Sakumo said.

"You've grown quite a bit since I last saw you," Hinata said. "If your father is nearly as handsome as you, I can see why your mother is so smitten."

Ayame snickered as Sakumo wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I start this fall," he said, thin chest puffing up with pride. "My teachers wanted to enroll me in early, but Father said no and looked at them funny until they promised to never ask again. That way I don't need to leave my friends behind."

"That's my boy," Ayame said with a grin. She patted his mop of silver hair. "Now go pick out our day's tomatoes so I can catch up with Hinata."

"Yes, Mother," Sakumo droned. But the tall set in his shoulders belied his pride in being trusted to a key task.

"He tries to act like Kakashi," Ayame said with a fond grin. "Keeps trying to steal his dad's masks as well, even though they're too big. Everyone just thinks he's really into loose turtleneck shirts." Hinata smiled at the adorable mental image. "So it's been many, many months since I last saw you at the morning markets. How have you been?"

"It's been busy," Hinata admitted.

"That's putting it lightly…" Ayame scoffed as she tapped her cheek with one finger in thought. "Let's see...I heard that you helped take down a missing nin, attracted the attention of the most eligible bachelor of Konoha." She eyed Hinata with displeasure. "And conveniently, that was the time that you started coming to the market at strange times to avoid him. But that kept him interested enough that he spun some big farce about experimenting on genjutsu. Said bachelor decided it wasn't enough time together so he concocted some bigger farce so he could take you on as his apprentice. Then there was a big hush-hush revolving around a traitor that you helped reveal, so I'm sure you and Itachi saved the village from some horrible fate. And now Itachi's courting you, wowed by your secret ninja skills and kind heart and beauty." Ayame placed her hands on her hips. "Am I missing anything?"

"That's...not how it occurred...at all?" Hinata said. She fiddled with her index fingers, unsure where even to start to correct the other woman's summary.

"Everything I didn't hear from the gossip mill here, I heard from Kakashi," Ayame assured her with a wink. "And he's all about seeing underneath the underneath."

"I...doubt that was Hatake-san's intended meaning." Hinata was all for looking underneath the underneath, but there was also such a thing as diving in too deep. Ayame was mistaking dirt for reality. Or was teasing her. It was hard to tell with the ramen waitress.

"You can't convince me otherwise." Ayame waved away her misgivings. Then her eyes widened. "Oh yeah, congratulations on your promotion. I heard you nearly took out your opponent with a cooking jutsu!" She clasped her hands together in glee. "I'm so proud."

Hinata sighed and shook her head fondly. "Actually, it was a calculation jutsu for numbers, though mostly used for inventory of produce and the such."

Ayame gave her a grin that was outright Naruto-ish. "Even better. Can you imagine trying to explain that one on your evaluation?"

"Naruto already made the pun about it being a weapon of math destruction," Hinata said quickly. The waitress stared at her for a moment. Then she puffed her cheeks in irritation and crossed her arms.

"It's like you don't even like puns. Who do you think gave Naruto his love of them?"

Hinata raised her palms in surrender. "I am not doubting you, Ayame-san."

"Good," the other woman said with a dramatic sniff. "So how is your cute ninja boyfriend doing?"

"Itachi's doing well. I worry that he tries to finish his missions too quickly."

"Kakashi won't stop complaining about it," Ayame shared conspiratorially. She stepped back, slouching with one eye closed and one eye half-lidded. It was an expression that only Kakashi (and his wife, apparently) could pull off without looking like someone who'd taken one-too-many blows to the head.

"Maa…" she mimicked her husband's low, nonchalant tone. "Itachi-kun's making me look bad with all that multi-tasking; saving the Hyuuga and winning the girl in the same act, finishing all his missions at top speed and still planning ways to woo Hinata. All I can do is read porn when my beautiful, forgiving wife isn't looking and pretend to train my genin."

Hinata covered her mouth, but the gesture was in vain as laughter escaped from between her fingers. "So Kakashi has taken on another team?"

"Yeah, he finally gave in. I think Naruto's set up one too many chalkboard erasers in our doors. Or the whole Hokage-sama thing. That helped too."

"Why was he reluctant before?"

"It's been eight years but he's still sore that Itachi-san poached his first genin team."

"Oh." She'd thought it was a trait specific to her clan...but it seemed that all ninja could be silly and petty and so, so human. "That's wonderful," she said with a sigh. Even now, she found herself caught in moments of insecurity about her worthiness of the positions everyone around her seemed to let her occupy. "I keep forgetting," she admitted with a soft laugh when Ayame gave her a questioning look. "Everything's changed, and yet I feel like everything is the same in some ways. It's very disorienting."

Ayame glanced behind them and her eyes widened. She patted Hinata's arm absently "Agreed, we'll talk more on this! Bye!" She jogged down the street, shouting, "Sakumo! Get your butt back down here right this moment. What did I say about chakra walking without supervision?! No I don't care if they think you're a genius, you little dolt, if you break your leg I'm going to help you break the other one!"

* * *

 

"I'm already regretting it," Ibiki snarled as he burst into Itachi's office. "Don't you think any of us would notice the pattern of what files you're checking out with your new clearance?" He dropped a thick stack of files onto Itachi's desk, the force of his throw making the pile sway. Itachi caught the top few before they toppled to the ground and began flipping through the source of his supervisor's ire.

"Good afternoon, Ibiki-san," Hinata greeted. His harsh expression softened and he offered a quick nod of apology for interrupting.

"Inoichi was quite pleased with your help yesterday. Prisoner 384-B did not expect a secondary layer to the genjutsu and provided Inoichi some good information."

"Thank you," Hinata said. "I'm glad. Excuse me." Ibiki raised a hand, stalling her motion to stand.

"No need, Hyuuga-san. This is in relation to your boyfriend's unauthorized investigation into the Branch seal." Ibiki shot a glare at Itachi, who regarded him with an unrepentantly blank expression. "You couldn't go two months without sticking your nose into some puzzle?"

Hinata tilted her head with a hint of worry creasing her brow. "But my father did authorize it. We had to keep it secret."

"You'll go a lot further if you use the resources available to you," Ibiki groused. "You don't think you're the only people disgusted by that crude, archaic system?"

"We were only trying to minimize rumors as best we can," Hinata said. She offered him a shy, sweet smile. "But we may have need to rely on your expertise very soon, so please don't be angry."

Ibiki studied her for a moment. "I can't tell if you are just offering me lip service. Damn, you're good. Are you sure you don't want to do a round in Infiltration? Uchiha, stop glaring at me, it's her choice." He gave Itachi a warning look. "She's good. Let this one get away and I'll assigning you to Kakashi's genin squad. As a genin."

"Noted," Itachi replied. "I'll return your files by -" Ibiki made a gesture like he was trying wave away a rotten stench.

"No need. They don't track what information I look at or copy."

Itachi paused and this time, he gave Ibiki the respect of his full attention. "Again, I am in your debt. Thank you."

"Just get it settled quickly before I get more council members nipping at my heels," Ibiki muttered as he left. Itachi looked up when the door closed behind him with a click and studied Hinata.

"We had no intention of involving him," he said.

"I did not want him angry."

"So you impressed him instead. He is a good ally." He smiled as she covered her red cheeks. "But please don't take him up on the Infiltration offer," Itachi added. "Kunoichi with your appearance invariably receive missions to seduce targets. It is your choice, but..." He frowned, searching for a better way to phrase it. He quickly gave up. Hinata limited her amusement to a faint smile as she feigned introspection.

"It sound rather interesting and could be useful for my career," she said. She glanced at Itachi with wide, questioning eyes. "What is your opinion?"

"I am already entertaining strategies to incapacitate your targets well before your arrival," he said flatly. Itachi was well aware that Hinata was teasing him, but he did not find this particular joke funny.

"I would be truly awful infiltration specialist if that were the case." She smiled at Itachi. 'Well, if that is my fate, then I should avoid infiltration." She reached across the table and laced her fingers with his. He gave her hand a squeeze.

"A wise decision."

* * *

 

The sky matched Naruto's eyes on the day of his inauguration - a blue that was impossible to measure how far it extended. It was a color full of possibility.

Hinata sat alone, but she did not shrink into herself. She was the only Hyuuga in the enormous section reserved for Naruto's family, and even if she stood out, Hinata delighted in the distinction. She smiled, raising her face to feel the sun warm her skin. She looked to the sky more and more these days, as she turned her face up towards people who stood so tall.

Hearing Sakura call out to her, she turned and greeted Sakura with a smile. She gestured to the seat beside her in invitation. "Good afternoon, Sakura. How are you?"

"Great!" The medic swept her up in a big hug, which Hinata accepted with a soft pat on the back. "I'm just so excited that Naruto is finally becoming Hokage. Took him long enough, the dummy. When we were genin, every other sentence out of his mouth was "Imma be Hokage, believe it!"." Sakura laughed, jade eyes lost in distant memory. The wind whipped her pink hair around her face. She blinked, and then she gave Hinata mischievous look. "Before we truly became a team, Naruto tried to use that as a pick up line on me." Sakura squinted her eyes in an eerily accurate impression of Naruto and began to speak in squeaky falsetto. "'Neh, neh, Sakura-chan, I'm going to be the greatest Hokage ever. Don't you want to be the Hokage's girlfriend? Believe it!"

A shadow fell over them. They turned to see Sasuke, who gave them a wave as he settled into a seat behind them. Itachi had to remain in the Uchiha section to represent his clan, but as the younger brother, Sasuke was able to wrangle freedom to sit where he pleased. "The worst part was that he actually sounded like that," he said. "And it got higher when he was screaming challenges. At Itachi or me. Sometimes at the same time."

"You must have been very patient," Hinata mused. Sakura and Sasuke exchanged a glance, and then burst into snickers.

"It's more a point to Naruto's durability than to our patience," Sakura admitted with a flush on her cheeks as she brushed some of her stray bangs behind one ear. She looked like a contrite child, caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Hinata remembered that said "child" could (and had on many an occasion) split the earth with her bare hands.

"He deserved it," Sasuke said with a sniff. "Itachi told him he was welcome at the Uchiha estate anytime, and Dead-Last took it literally." The expression on his face could only be described as a 'pout'. Hinata got the distinct sense that while Sasuke did not mind his blond teammate nearly so much as he pretended to, he did mind very much when his time with his older brother was cut short. "A freaking barnacle, that one."

Sasuke didn't blink when Naruto appeared next to him with a barely-detectable spark of chakra and a glower on his face. "Oy, talking behind my back, huh? Bastard!"

"Not just behind your back," Sasuke replied with a sneer. "There are so many facets to your flaws that I wouldn't have nearly enough time to pick just one side."

"Do you stay up late at night to think of ways to get my attention?" Naruto pretended to toss back his hair in an eerie mimicry of Ino. "Stop falling in love with me."

There was a pause. Both of them turned green, though Sasuke kept his composure and stepped closer to his teammate. "It's almost like you wish there was something…" Naruto barely suppressed a shudder. "I see the way you've always watching me.".

"It's like a particularly spectacular accident - I can't look away," Sasuke replied. Naruto leaned in, towering over the slighter frame of his teammate. Sasuke stiffened and refused to give. They were nearly nose-to-nose, sparks or  _something_ flying between their eyes. It might have been romantic if both  _boys_  didn't have tortured expressions on their faces that normally only adopted by the seasick. Hinata shot a questioning glance to Sakura, who rolled her eyes at their game of chicken.

"They're starting the ceremony," Sakura interrupted, pointing one finger to the main platform where Tsunade stood with arms crossed, tapping one foot. "You should probably be there."

"Oh shi-" Naruto reappeared in the center of the stadium behind Tsunade, neatly dodging her punch and then clasping his hands together in front of his chest in apology. Sakura sighed and shook her head.

"He has instant teleportation, and he's still late. We had Kakashi as jounin-sensei for a total of 3 weeks and that was the main habit that stuck…"

The ceremony, thankfully, was a short one. Tsunade gave a quick speech thanking the village and then handed the Hokage hat to her successor. "I present to you Namikaze Naruto, the Rokudaime Hokage!" Her jutsu-enhanced voice boomed across the stands, sending shivers down the spectators' spines as they realized they were witnessing an eerie echo of the only other hand-off from Hokage to Hokage in times of peace - when the Sandaime declared the Yondaime his successor. Some had to wonder if it was an ill omen.

Then Naruto stepped forward, his tan face solemn. He tilted his new hat back, letting the sunlight illuminate his sky eyes and bisect his face in shadow and light. He cleared his throat.

"Ah…" he started. He stopped, and smiled as he scratched the top of his hat. Of all things, Naruto apparently had developed a fear of public speaking.

He scanned the crowd until he found Sakura. He met her eyes, and then Sasuke's, and then Hinata's, and Kakashi's and Ayame's and Sakumo's and Iruka's and every person in section. Then he scanned the Uchiha section until he found Itachi's calm, steady gaze.

Naruto took a deep breath and turned back to face the crowd. "When I was Genin, even before I knew that my father was the Yondaime...I dreamed of this day every night. When I was down, I'd imagine my precious people telling me "you can do it, Naruto" or "have some more ramen, Naruto"" - a laugh rippled through the crowd, as his love for Konoha was only rivaled by his love for ramen - "But when our enemies...Orochimaru, Akatsuki, Madara, the other villages…." He looked down, clenched a fist full of his robes. "When they threatened our home, our precious people, I stopped dreaming because it hurt too much to think that any one of you not present. Instead, I could only cling one goal - get stronger, get stronger, get so  _damn_ strong no one could hurt my precious people."

He ground out his last few words between clenched teeth, his love and fury and pure determination holding the crowd captive for a long, breathless moment. No one needed further reminder that this was the man who forced the Kyuubi itself to bow to his will. This man was not one to bow to something so silly as fate or superstition. Then Naruto grinned until his eyes were little crescents, and the pressure of his enormous aura eased. "I had a lot of help, of course, and I would stand here for days listing all the names. But I'm glad, so glad, that you are here with me today. It means I succeeded in my dream, and it is better than I ever imagined. Because I stand here, having protected you as Genin, Chuunin, Jounin...and I will continue to protect you, now as your Rokudaime Hokage. Thank you."

He ducked his head, pretending to get the dust out of his eyes though everyone knew he was tearing up. The crowds roared their approval, and the stadium reverberated with their cheers.

* * *

 

"I missed you guys…" the Rokudaime Hokage whined. He gave them a pitiful look before resting his cheek on the table, squishing his face in a rather undignified way next to the rice.

"That's your freedom you're missing, not us," Sakura said with zero sympathy. "Sasuke and I have been both popping in and out of the office. To help you."

Naruto gave a half-sob. "But there's no end to the paperwork…."

"There's the real reason," Sakura muttered. Naruto made a noise that was more bovine than human.

"Good thing Yamato's a forgiving person," Sasuke said with a smirk. "Or he'll be hunt you down for killing so many trees."

"He'll have to get in line if he wants to revenge," Naruto said, as if it . "Speaking of which, I thought they banned us from this restaurant."

"I promised the owner that we wouldn't cause much damage this time," Sakura said. She looked down, green eyes locked on her pointer finger as she drew little circles on the table . " _AndIbribedthem_."

"Ah," Itachi said. He took a sip of his tea. Early on in his career as sensei, he'd requested extra budgeting for paying back angry civilians. While all shinobi paid an additional percentage in taxes to cover any damage (which was inevitable when puberty occured in a demographic that could level sections of the village if angered), Team 7 had an additional fee as they were particularly calibrated for destruction.

Hinata glanced at the clock, barely keeping her attention on the conversation before her. Almost time.

"Excuse me," Hinata said as she slipped out. Itachi met her eye and offered her a nod of support.

She found them in the adjacent room.

"Hikaru." The girl looked up, her eyes just wide enough that Hinata realized she'd surprised her. Hikaru turned back to Kiba. "Celebratory dinner my ass," she said, tone as flat as her expression. Hinata blinked at the rough language, but then shrugged because 1) she spent many of her formative years with an Inuzuka as a teammate 2) Hinata also carried herself very differently within the walls of the Hyuuga compound. She's never seen Hikaru interact with her teammates, and even though she's long made her peace, there was still a slight pang in her chest at the realization.

"Holler if either of you need anything," Kiba said as he turned to leave the room, blatantly ignoring Hikaru's displeasure. She sighed, and shifted to face Hinata with resignation on her shoulders.

"Please don't blame Kiba-san," HInata said. "I asked him as a favor to me."

"Oh," Hikaru said after a moment. "I thought you wanted to talk to me out of some twisted sense of duty and if I made some effort to avoid you, you'll feel better and stop trying."

Hinata was speechless, because Hikaru laid it out like she was discussing literal laundry, not the metaphorical sort. Given that Hikaru had kept some steep secrets, it was jarring. A vindicated smile flitted on her cousin's lips. "I did a lot of thinking while I was locked up. I'm going to be more straightforward and honest. If no one else but the people who still actually talk to me outside of necessity. So basically you, my team, and Old Man Ichiraku." She tried to sound more bitter than forlorn, but her voice wobbled.

Hinata couldn't think of anything to say that would help. They glanced at each other, both a little bit at a loss on how to sidestep their past with the other, even though it was their only connection.

"How have you been?" Hinata asked after a long moment. "Other than the silent treatment, they're not bothering you?"

Hikaru shook her head. "Nothing worse than expected. A few cold looks. Some conversations I'm meant to overhear." Neither of them mention the cruel echo of HInata's own experience in the Hyuuga halls. "I'm on probation. It's not so bad though, since it just means I can only take missions with members of my team."

Hinata studied Hikaru. It was easy to make her villain or the victim, when she deserved to regarded as both. The first time Hinata confronted her outside of her mind, Hikaru had been chained and stripped down to the bare bones of her vulnerabilities.

"What you did was no petty crime." Hinata held her gaze. "And I'm not underplaying it as such. I discussed with Itachi in length about my thoughts about this. It is not easy to forgive you. It is not easy to unravel years of learned behaviors." She stopped, and then offered Hikaru a small smile when the other girl didn't look away. Hikaru scratched her cheek.

"We should spar sometime," she said. It took Hinata moment to identify the expression on her cousin's face. It wasn't just respect or awe, because Hinata got plenty of that from those who had an ear to the more flattering side of the rumor mill. It wasn't desperation either, because even if Hikaru had wronged her, it was tedious to be pleaded for mercy she'd already given. "Chuunin on chuunin."

Hikaru was approaching them as strangers, both on equal footing on a blank slate. Erased but not forgotten. She smiled.

"I would like that. Very much."

* * *

 

Itachi wondered if Ibiki had been lying to him. Maybe he'd gone insane years ago. Because despite all his internal and external monologues about the danger of excessive tree-perching...he was hiding in a tree. Not lounging in, but curled up like Tora in the highest branches that would bear his weight.

Hanabi stepped under said tree. Even though she didn't look up, the hair on the back of his neck rose to attention. He didn't need to try peer at what she hid behind her mess of bangs to know that she was watching him with the Byakugan.

"I will leave if I am intruding," he said.

Even though Hanabi kept her head tilted down, Itachi glimpsed a half-smirk on her mouth. "No, stay. You are exactly where I prefer you to be."

"Hyuuga-sama told you," he concluded. She twitched her shoulder:  _More or less_. She wasn't about to give him more information than necessary. It was disconcerting to be the one in poor graces. While Itachi was not arrogant, the natural hierarchy of things tended to place him in the position of power.

"Hanabi-san, why do you dislike me?"

"What ever gave you that impression? I don't dislike  _you_  in particular."

"Then the idea of me. The role which I fulfill. The circumstances of our relationship," Itachi said. Hanabi crossed her arms, nodding her head.

"Those could have some bearing," she mused. She tapped one finger against her chin. "Actually, it's just you. Everything about you. Especially how you won't shut up. You must really enjoy the sound of your own voice." Itachi didn't roll his eyes only because he knew Hanabi would see.

"Hinata is not defined by me," he said.

Hanabi snorted. "Obviously. If you didn't think that, Hinata would never have given you the time of day." Itachi inclined his head in agreement. Hanabi was waiting for a specific answer from him, which did not include petty assurances of loyalty and unrealistic promises of blind love. Words were easy to spin, and like a spider's web, just as easy to rip apart. If all his actions up to this point was not enough, though, how would words suffice?

"It will not be easy for her, because others will see Hyuuga and then they will see Uchiha and they will see a victim of her circumstances. They will forget her and those that don't will try to anyways. If I promise her anything, it is that I will always try to see Hinata before whatever role she has, be it Uchiha, Hyuuga, shinobi, or even sister." The implicit  _'you should too_ ' seemed to roll off her shoulders like water as she shrugged.

"We all have our problems," she said primly. She paused in thoughtful silence. "For example, I don't want you to marry her." Then she looked up with a saccharine smile that made her eyes into little crescents. "But I hate it even more when you stand her up. Don't even think about chickening out of this."

* * *

 

"Hey, Hinata."

Hinata offered Sasuke a smile as he sat down by her on the grass. "Good evening, Sasuke." He nodded, more uncomfortable that he'd been with her in a while. "What did you want to speak to me about? I'm not sure how I can assuage your misgivings with words."

"Creepy," Sasuke muttered. He raked a hand through his hair, a common tell for his irritation. Though usually it was aimed at his teammates. "You've been hanging out with Itachi too much." Hinata laughed, and it was a sweet sound unlike his brother's. Sasuke managed a more genuine smile. "It's not misgivings," he added after a moment. "I...He…Itachi's so strong that people just assume he can take care of everything. That everything's peachy unless he's in the hospital wing with more blood on the bed than inside his body." Hinata wondered if Sasuke realized the irony behind him accusing her of mimicking Itachi when Sasuke dropped Sakura's words like "peachy" without so much a twitch.

"You want to be sure it's what Itachi wants, not what Uchiha Itachi wants. And that I love Itachi more than the Uchiha," Hinata summarized. Sasuke thought over her words, and then bobbed his head like a child in agreement.

"Yeah. That's a better way of wording it. Do you love Itachi more than his family name?"

"I don't," she said. His eyes widen, and the air thickened with a spike of killer intent. Hinata fought to breathe, to keep her sanity. "Will you let me explain?" she said, voice soothing, if a bit strained. Sasuke studied her, a hard edge of cruelty to his expression. She never forgot the kind of power in Team 7, but sometimes she was fooled by their silly demeanors. He nodded, once. "I don't know Itachi without the Uchiha that shaped him. No-name Itachi would not be a brother, a son, a pacifist. If I had to surmise a guess...he would go mad. Orochimaru...he was a genius not unlike Itachi. Sometimes I wonder if he hadn't lost his family when he was so young, maybe things would have been different."

Sasuke gave her an incredulous look. "You think Itachi could have turned out like Orochimaru if he'd had the same history." He made a sound that was dangerously close to being classified as a whimper. "You just compared my brother to Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin."

"And I don't love Orochimaru," Hinata said. "I love the Itachi that had the Uchiha and your parents and you and Team 7. Still has them in his life."

Sasuke stared at her so long that Hinata wondered if she was in genjutsu that she'd been too distracted to detect and he was already slitting her throat. Then the younger brother shook his head in resignation.

"Creepy," Sasuke reiterated. "Now I'm sure you're meant for each other - you turned a simple question into a goddamn philosophical thesis."

"He has that effect on people," Hinata agreed with a sigh. Sasuke snorted.

"Yeah."

* * *

 

She was waiting for him at the Uchiha training field, leaning against their tree and soaking in the last of the evening sun. The sunset cast her unbound hair in an orange glow. She turned when she heard him approach and smiled.

"Itachi."

"Do you know what my question is?" Hinata nodded. Despite his marked success at identity theft, Hizashi was a horrible liar. He'd been doing everything but outright waggling his eyebrows at her the past week. The odd expression on Itachi's face, however, gave her pause. "Strange," he mused. "I had expected it to become easier after affirming your awareness."

Hinata said. "I acc-"

Itachi shook his head. "I should follow with standard procedure lest I am berated by our eavesdroppers."

Hinata glanced behind him, eyes resting on a patch of the shrubbery that gave off a distinct feeling of...nervous glee. She had no doubt that it concealed three individuals that never seemed to follow far after Itachi. Hinata was a little worried that a chuunin like herself could detect kage-class ninja, but then again, Itachi had that effect on his students.

Itachi's eyes flicked to something past her shoulder. Hinata's range with her Byakugan wasn't useful for much, but she didn't need it to guess a certain little sister was the target of Itachi's attention. And the killer intent her sister focused on Itachi was a dead giveaway.

Itachi and Hinata glanced at each other, and then burst into soft laughter.

"This is what it'll always be like," she said with a sigh. But she was smiling, and even the warm cast of the sunset could not disguise the flush on her cheeks. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good." He extended his hand to her. She took it. "Regardless, do not let it pressure you-" She wrinkled her nose at him and his words faded.

"Stop stalling, Uchiha Itachi," she said. He looked at her, as if she were the air he breathed, the sunlight he felt, the sound of laughter he heard. For all his masks presented to the rest of the world, he was never afraid to bare his heart to her. And Hinata had to wonder how anyone could think Uchiha Itachi only a soldier.

And she looked at him, eyes unwavering because even though he was like a dream, he was also a dream come true - a reality she would fight to keep. For all her subtle mannerisms, she was never afraid to tell him in blunt (though still polite) terms what she wished of him. And Itachi had to wonder how anyone could think Hyuuga Hinata was weak.

"Marry me?" he asked.

"Yes," she said.

He took her hand and pressed a kiss to the center of her palm. She lifted the same hand to cup the side of his face, reveling in his reaction. He was smili-no,  _grinning_ , his eyes nearly closed to make space for it. And she couldn't help but mirror his expression. Not when she had the power to give him such joy, not when her heart was so full and light. Not when he would show her such a breathtaking expression even though they had witnesses.

Neither of them were shocked when Team 7 burst out of the bushes, cheering wildly. Nor when Hanabi approached, using two fingers to point at her eyes, and then back at Itachi, followed by slashing motion across her throat.

They were, however, mildly surprised by Naruto's confetti.

* * *

 

Mikoto greeted them at the door of her home, smiling so widely and so knowingly Hinata's cheeks hurt in sympathy. Itachi's grip tightened around her hand. For a moment, she thought he would pull her back outside.

"You asked her?" Mikoto asked. Itachi nodded.

"Yes, but Mother, please refrain fr-"

Mikoto ignored him, grasping Hinata's free hand between her own. "So when am I getting grandbabies?"

"Ano…I don't think that…we haven't...it's not…." Hinata looked down, fascinated by the sheen of the floorboards. How did Mikoto get them to shine so brightly? It was a work of art that required much contemplation...

"Oh silly me, you need to be registered first. Understandable." Itachi narrowed his eyes. Hinata was naive enough to relax and look up in time to see Mikoto pull a scroll from her sleeve. "Fortunately, I already submitted it for you. Rokudaime-sama was so very eager to accept my request that he personally saw it through the proper channels. I've never seen paperwork processed so quickly."

Hinata managed a mumble of terror. Itachi studied his mother with suspicious eyes.

"The esteemed Hokage-sama was crouched in the bushes at the time of my proposal."

"Nothing was signed until after Hinata-chan agreed," Mikoto assured him.

Itachi scowled. "That's not the point, Mother."

"Exactly. The point is now that you're registered, we need to move Hinata into the Uchiha complex. The ceremony is important but more importantly, we need to settle her as a future Uchiha matriarch -"

It was the current Uchiha patriarch who rescued them. Fugaku stepped near Mikoto, a gentle hand cupping her elbow. "I just got the budget approved for the wedding; fifteen percent above your 'minimum', actually. Did you want to review the numbers before delegating?"

"Thank you, darling," Mikoto said, eyes lighting up. She gestured to Hinata and Itachi as she walked down the hall. "I'll find you two later when I have the guest list."

Fugaku studied them. Then his stern expression eased, a smile almost pulling at the corners of his lips. "Kyokki-san would be proud," he said. Hinata nodded slightly at him in gratitude - both for his intervention and for the subtle sign of approval. "Though if she were here…I'm sure she'd be just as impatient as Mikoto to meet her grandchildren."

Itachi stared at him. Fugaku smirked and excused himself.

"Thank kami you're the firstborn," Sasuke muttered as he slunk out from behind the door. Itachi gave him a ruthless look. He had not missed how his little brother conveniently waited until their parents' departure.

"Father and Mother will be even worse when you get married," he promised Sasuke.

"You're the heir," the younger brother said with shrug. "By the time I get around to anything, there'll be plenty of babies for them to coo over."

"Not if they think you're secretly in love with Naruto," Itachi pointed out. "Just the sheer relief would be enough for excessive celebration."

"You wouldn't…"

"I wonder if they would go as far as banning the Hokage himself if he was half of the forbidden couple. Is it considered rude?" Itachi mused. Sasuke gave a Hinata a look of wild desperation. She took pity on him and put a restraining hand on Itachi's upper arm.

"Go easy on him," Hinata said. Sasuke opened his mouth to thank her, but instead gaped at her in betrayal when she smiled apologetically and added: "Sasuke is already under pressure since he's still keeping such an important secret from your parents."

"I'm not...but.." Sasuke shook his head and shuffled away from them, face still slack with shock. "She was supposed to be  _nice_ …" he whispered to himself in horror.

* * *

 

Itachi and Hinata lasted three more days before losing all patience with their well-wishers. With a sharp smile that reminded Team 7 of numerous commitments that required their presence  _immediately this momentrightnow_ , Itachi wove a genjutsu so complex and so subtle Madara would have wept with pride. Or with horror at the abuse of it to escape from one's own engagement party.

Under the cover of his chakra, Itachi threaded his fingers through Hinata's, and led her through crowd, ghosting down the shadowed halls of the Uchiha complex, and finally, into the side garden where the wisteria trees were in full bloom.

Hinata's formal kimono was too restrictive for them to take to the branches, where they could tuck themselves behind the veil of blooms, but its lavender hues helped them blend in. Itachi ducked behind one such tree, guiding Hinata to his side.

"No one around?"

He shook his head. She slumped against him, burying her face into his chest. "Thank kami," she murmurred. He hugged her close with one arm, resting his cheek against the top of her head. Only then, did she feel him relax.

"That was more taxing than anticipated," Itachi admitted.

"If I didn't like you so much, I might retract my acceptance of your proposal," she muttered. For all her sweet-temperedness, even Hinata could only withstand so much questioning of her womb's ability to uphold Uchiha and/or Hyuuga honor.

"Please don't," he said, wrapping his other arm around her waist in a gentle, but unbreakable hold. "I doubt my ability to endure another courtship. The backlash from my family might actually drive me to rid Konoha of the infestation known as Uchiha."

She gave a soft huff of amusement. "They're not so bad if you came from them." Though the flattery pleased him, it did little to soften Itachi's annoyance.

"One of my aunts cast genjutsu on you, and when you impressed her by shrugging it off, she tried to slip you an aphrodisiac," he said. His voice was even, but Hinata could detect just a hint of petulance. "To 'speed up the process'."

"At least she's supportive," she said with a laugh.

He pulled back and looked down at her with a faint smile. "They have no other choice."

On a rare whim, he broke off a sprig of wisteria from a nearby vine and with a slight frown of concentration, tucked it into decorative comb in her hair. He let his hand fall away, tracing the flyaway strands framing her face. The perfume of the flowers around them was heady and intoxicating, but they barely even noticed.

"I love you," he said.

Those were simple words, uttered again and again through the course of history, spanning the full range of sincerity. For some, love was a lie, tucked in the negative space of loneliness. For others, it remained only a dream, wrapped around twisted reality. And even when love was to be found like a small gem in the cavern, it was unearthed from between blood and betrayal and the ugly crevices of humanity.

But sometimes, love was like the first waking gasp of spring, one solitary blossom followed by thousands more in the blink of an eye. It was a wash of pink across stark branches - quiet, maybe too easy, but also an immutable fact of nature that everyone simply learned to accept it.

For Itachi and Hinata, it was the final - the only - option.

"And I love you," she replied.

He kissed her.

* * *

 

The maternity ward of the hospital was a little too-well lit for Itachi's taste. Sakura had rattled off some explanation about mood-enhancement and orderliness, but Itachi suspected it was more to help her soldier through her long shifts.

"Good, you're here, Uchiha." Hanabi scowled as she walked up to him. "I'm going to punch you." Itachi gave her a slow blink.

"No Jyuuken," he said. The heiress snorted and rolled her eyes. Which Itachi took as an affirmative, but he kept an eye on her chakra nonetheless. True to her implied words, Hanabi did not let any brilliant blue chakra leak into her fist. Itachi tensed his abs just before she hit, and barely swayed from her strike to the gut. He refused to allow her the satisfaction of any sound.

"Better?" he asked.

"Meh," Hanabi said. "Again?" Neji looked up hopefully from his staunch effort in propping up the wall.

"Absolutely not," Itachi said with a flare of killer intent. Neji shrugged and bowed his head again in meditation, his long hair curtaining his face.

"Then what are you doing here?" Hanabi stepped in front him, frowning and arms akimbo on her hips. No one had gotten around to telling her that while her aura was intimidating, the expression made her cheeks puff so she looked more twelve than seventeen. Hinata had laughed when he mentioned it and told him if that if she had yet to master the unique properties of her round, Hyuuga face by the time Hanabi was declared Clan Head, Team 7 had her express permission to taunt her for it until she did. Itachi looked forward such a scene, and so kept his expression impassive as his little sister-in-law tried to lecture him out of building. "Just because the vote on banning the Cursed Seal is tomorrow and you have blackmail on portion of of the counsel that haven't handed you their balls on a silver platter does  _not_ mean you should be twiddling your thumbs."

Itachi acknowledged her opinion with a slight incline of his head but made no movement for the door.

"I came as quickly I could," Hinata said as she approached them at a brisk pace. Her cheeks were flushed from exertion and her braid a little mussed. Itachi reached out and resettled a strand of hair that stuck up oddly from her bangs. She flashed him a smile, though it was tight with worry. "How is she?"

"Last Sakura said, she was doing we-"

"FUCK YOU, HYUUGA NEJI. I'M GOING ….SPLEEN...TARGET PRACTICE...USE INTESTINES FOR DOUBLE DUTCH..."

Everyone paused as they considered the fact that there were muffling seals in each room that made it theoretically impossible to hear the creative ways women threatened the men who put them there. Which meant either Tenten was loud enough to overload the seals. Or she/Sakura disabled them so Neji could hear the full degree of her displeasure.

"Less well now," Itachi amended. Neji groaned and his head dropped further into his chest, giving a distinct aura of trying so hard to meditate that he ended up focusing even more on the stream of incomprehensible but clearly angry words from Tenten. If it wasn't absurd, Itachi could swear she was threatening to string Neji up by his nose-hairs.

Hinata thread her fingers through his and squeezed. Itachi exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Despite his amusement at the mental image of Neji strung up by his nose hairs, the reason for her discomfort worried him.

"Tenten can be a very vocal person in general," she said. His eyes flicked to his wife's flat stomach. "Sakura is a very capable medic."

"You are well aware that anesthesia doesn't work well for shinobi pregnancies due to the enhanced chakra and blood flow."

"We also are stronger of body," Hinata said. She took his hand. "I am not even pregnant yet, Itachi." The furrow between his eyebrows smoothed.

"To think, grandma had to push out two of them," Hanabi cut in. Hinata gave her sister a look that did nothing to quell her smug grin. The new Uchiha head was beginning to look distinctly green.

Hinata grimaced. "I think it's good idea to take Neji and spar with him a little."

Itachi agreed.

Hopefully, they could knock each other unconscious.

* * *

 

When Hinata told them Sakura confirmed that  _no, Hinata's nausea wasn't due to disease but rather twins, fifteen weeks_ , Hanabi ranted at Itachi for several minutes before any of them realized he was in shock. To the Hokage's eternal sorrow, he regained his senses before Naruto could finish drawing whiskers on his face with permanent marker.

Itachi did not notice the extra lines on his left cheek as he placed a gentle hand on Hinata's stomach and stared at her in wonder.


End file.
